Mirrors
by NightmareGlitter
Summary: Haou has remained a spirit in Dark World so long, he has lost touch with humanity. Since Juudai has become a reincarnation of him,he's found a new touch with the outside world. But when a stranger brings him a gift, will he find a way into Juudai's world?
1. Chapter 1: The Wanderer

**A/N: Well, I thought I'd try to explain this fic a little bit. First of all, I'd like to point out that it's not exactly AU. Maybe it is a little. But the way I see it is like this: If there can be monster spirits that are actual tangible bodies in Dark World, then Haou as a spirit, can also be a tangible body. Also, Dark World seems to be a place where time does not affect the spirits as much. For this reason, he is still viewed as young, around Juudai's age. Also, since Juudai has come into existence, and he is Haou's reincarnation so to speak, Haou has the same sort of physical appearance as Juudai (well, that was in the anime too, so I didn't really need to explain that). Anyway, Dark World is a parallel universe to Juudai's universe, sort of like in the anime too. So basically, Haou has his own body, yet he is a spirit living in Juudai's mind and is still his dark half. Also, I think this can be possible since Juudai can see monster spirits and all, yet they're sort of part of him (but not nearly in the same way as Haou is). Oh, I guess you get my point. That's all.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 1: The Wanderer

The castle that the young king lived in spared no expense. There were eloquent dining halls, lavish bedrooms, and spacious sitting areas not to mention a library packed with books from all origins and rooms showcasing more artifacts than a museum. However much there was within the castle, though, there was still something important missing. It was too quiet. Despite the many monsters that roamed the halls, guarding him, Haou had no one to talk to. He was lonely.

For a long while, he'd had Yubel as someone he could count on. But she was not with him any more. She'd gone to protect another now. For years, he'd suffered. His loneliness had turned to resentment, his resentment to anger, and his anger to hatred. At this point, he could not go back. Rather, he ruled his kingdom with an iron fist. And nothing was going to change that.

Nothing except change itself. For the past 17 years, a new presence had entered his life—or lack thereof. His name was Yuuki Juudai, and he was Haou's only entertainment. Being a part of the other boy meant ample access to his thoughts and emotions. And even though a great deal of it thoroughly disgusted the king, he found some of the information intriguing. He possessed so much potential—if only he were not so naïve to not know how to use his assets. And if only he'd further develop his talents by using his brain every now and then. Haou could tell that there was something special about him—he was far more intelligent than others took him for. If fact, he possessed more acumen and wisdom than they! If only he'd just come to realize it…

But Juudai didn't just provide Haou relief from the horrible boredom that came with being a tyrant. He also reminded Haou of memories, painful memories. Something about him really bothered Haou; perhaps it was his carefree attitude towards life. Whatever it was, it angered him and struck a terribly agonizing bitter pain through his heart. He ached to have Juudai's opportunities; he yearned for the chances that were thrown Juudai's way. Which brought him to another pet peeve: Juudai did not make proper use of his opportunities. Nor did he ever develop to his full potential. There he was, nearly grown, yet still as childish as ever. Haou could not understand what made Juudai so clueless about the world around him.

As of that moment, the king was leaning out of a stone opening and gazing down in boredom at the courtyard. He had been sitting there idly all day, yet he'd failed to catch any activity from below. The kingdom had been far too quiet. Perhaps they were plotting something against him? Frowning, he shook the thought from his mind. Not a soul was stirring. They might as well all be dead. He need not worry, not now anyway. If only he could find some way of amusing himself. Picking up a pebble from the window sill and tossing it carelessly down at a small pool of water, he sighed in exasperation and considered conquering some villages. At least it would cure him of the absolute monotony. However, he strangely did not possess the motivation to do so. Not that day.

He closed his eyes tightly and concentrated. By this method, he'd found a way to enter Juudai's mind. Perhaps this would be the day Juudai found and acknowledged his presence. As he found himself surrounded by darkness in the recesses of the boy's mind, he focused on his thoughts. Well, just as was to be expected, Juudai was sleeping through his lessons…again. Haou frowned disapprovingly. That was no way for Juudai to prepare himself for greatness. Nevertheless, he sighed and decided to leave him alone. There was no way that Juudai would know he existed.

Right as he was about to withdraw from Juudai's mind, he felt the close presence of the boy's spirit. He stopped and scanned the darkness. There, in the corner, he saw a young child hunched over something. Peering closer, he saw that the boy was holding Duel Monsters cards. He would've waved it off, had he not caught a glimpse of one particular card: Yubel. There was no doubt about it in his mind.

Curious, he moved closer. The young boy turned around and looked up at Haou. Immediately, he recognized the child as a younger form of Juudai. But what was this past era of Juudai's life doing in his soul? Did it mean he'd never let his childhood go? It sure didn't seem like he had.

The boy stared up at Haou with large chocolate eyes. Haou only stared back with a chilling amber gaze. He wasn't sure how to react. Juudai put his cards back in the deck and shuffled it. Raising an eyebrow slightly, Haou wondered what the child expected of him. It soon became apparent, however, that Juudai wanted a duel.

The child held his deck out towards Haou to shuffle. He hesitated, wondering if he should waste his time. Finally, he took the deck, though he had no idea why. He shuffled the cards and handed them back to Juudai. The boy looked expectantly up at him. Sighing, Haou reached in his pocket and pulled out his own deck. He leafed through the cards, thinking about how new and strange this was. Yet, at the same time, it felt familiar. He quickly brushed the feeling away and shuffled his deck. Before he got a chance to hand them over to Juudai, though, a loud, obnoxious voice split through the darkness, interrupting Juudai's dream state and causing the small boy to fade away.

Haou's eyes snapped open. He rose to his feet, a bit shaky. Every time he entered Juudai's mind and was ripped away like that, it always drained him of all energy. Yet it had never made him this weak. He took a deep breath and glared at his surroundings. About now, he was in the mood to duel someone, anyone—and when he did, it would not end well for his opponent.

At that moment, the sound of someone pounding on the front door echoed through the halls. He startled slightly, confused and irritated. How could someone get this far onto his property? Well, in that case, the guards on duty at the front gate would be dead by that evening. He waited for someone to open the door, but no one did. Angered, he stormed down the hall to the entryway and flung the door open.

No one was there. His brow furrowed in a scowl. Glancing around, he noticed that the clouds in the sky were turning blacker than usual. And the wind was picking up. Perhaps the wind had blown a branch against the door. Or maybe he had just imagined it. Grumbling, he shut the door and turned to walk up the stairs. Once more, there was a loud, distinct knock on the door. Now this hit his last nerve. Whirling around, he grabbed the sword from his coat of arms and slammed the door open, ready to slice whoever the intruder was into bits.

Ice blue eyes met his, causing him to freeze. Something about this stranger was different. He found himself completely unable to move. The sword dropped from his hands and clattered to the stone floor. The man had a young face, but his eyes seemed old. He wore a dark hood over his head, concealing his overall appearance. Haou slowly stepped back, allowing him to enter, though he didn't know why. Some mysterious force caused him to back away; something about the man caused him to yield. This irritated him to no end.

The man looked around the room, then shut the door. He turned to Haou and tapped his walking stick three times on the stone floor, causing the sound to echo through the halls. Giving a little hum, he looked back at the king.

"I suppose you're wondering why I came here." His voice was clear as crystal--quite pleasant to listen to actually—but held an authoritative quality to it that Haou disliked greatly.

He refused to respond, so the man went on. "I was just wandering through the area," He murmured, stepping over to the fireplace and looking about at the paintings, "and I needed a place to stay for the night."

Haou glared at him, his teeth clenched. "My guards should have stopped you."

The man turned and stared at him steadily. "Guards? There were none."

Eerie silence filled the castle. Haou turned towards the window and looked out. By then, it had begun to pour down raining. His eyes searched for the familiar silhouettes of his guards; however, they were strangely missing from the landscape. He trembled in anger.

He heard quiet footsteps behind him and found the man standing behind him. "They have all left, I suppose," The man murmured, "Things are changing around here. And no one wants to face what is coming."

Haou raised an eyebrow skeptically, "And how are you so gifted as to know all this?"

The man smiled wryly. "I'm a traveling merchant," He explained, "so I hear a lot of things from many different areas."

Haou glowered, "What is your name, cur? I don't think I've given you a license or a grant. And if I haven't, then you've broken my law and must be killed. Well, you will be eliminated anyway. You've trespassed on my property without authorization. And the punishment for that is a slow, torturous death."

The merchant seemed unalarmed. He blinked calmly. Rage filled Haou as he tried to grab his sword again.

"If you give me a place to stay for the night," The merchant told him quietly, "then you will find it to be greatly worth your while. You will receive a reward beyond your wildest dreams, and you will find a treasure on the other side that is far more valuable than anything you could ever buy or even find in this world. It will save you from the imminent downfall of this world."

"What are you talking about?" Haou snapped, "I can do and get whatever I want."

"Oh, but only if you have the opportunity," The man told him, smirking impishly.

"Stop mocking me," Haou commanded, narrowing his eyes, "I gave you an order to tell me your name."  
"I don't have one," He said simply.

"That's ridiculous!" Haou snorted, "Everyone has a name."

"Not by being born," the merchant told him.

Haou opened his mouth to protest, however, he changed his mind and shut it. Perhaps there was something useful that this man could offer him. And for that reason, he decided to allow him to live. If the merchant took advantage of his hospitality, he would show him his place in this world. It seemed as though the man didn't know how things worked around there. For this reason, he made up his mind that he would give him a rare benefit of a doubt.

"Very well," Haou sighed, relenting, "I will allow you to stay for the night. Follow me."

The merchant muttered a quick word of gratitude and followed Haou down the dark hallway. For some reason, his presence made Haou quite uneasy. Something about this man seemed strange. He seemed…otherworldly. He stopped in front of a large wooden door and gestured towards it.

"You'll stay here for tonight," Haou told him, "But only tonight. I expect you to leave tomorrow morning."

The man nodded. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Haou grumbled that he wouldn't have been so hospitable had he not been offered such a worthy reward. The merchant chose to ignore it, and bid Haou good afternoon. Haou refused to respond, only walked down the passageway back to his personal quarters.

* * *

The king hardly slept that evening. The storm outside was far too noisy. The wind howled through the castle, opening and slamming doors. It whistled around the corridors and blew objects against the walls. It certainly was an eerie night. He tossed and turned, trying to sleep, but found it impossible. Feeling cranky, he rose to his feet and paced around the room anxiously. Every now and then, he glanced out the window at the distant lightning streaking across the sky.

As he watched the torrents of rain being whipped against the glass panes, he thought about what the man had said. Was it true that times were changing so drastically that people were trying to escape it? Was that why his guards and servants had disappeared? Well, if they ever dared to show their faces in his presence again, he would most certainly put them to death. Part of him was worried, however. If things were worsening to the point that his subordinates were frightened by something more than him, then there must be something absolutely malicious coming for them. And with the way that all the villages had become ghost towns, and with the way that the weather had changed, then something big was definitely about to happen. He had to find a way to stop this problem before it started. There was no way that he'd allow anything to usurp his reign over the kingdom. He would not be swayed by this mysterious force.

Then again, what if the stranger had something to do with this "change"? He tensed up in anger, wondering exactly how he'd made such a mistake as of letting this man in his castle. He decided to throw him out immediately.

However, by the time he arrived at the guest bedroom, it was already vacant. He stepped cautiously over the threshold into the room and searched for the merchant. He was nowhere to be found. The room looked as though no one had touched it. Scratching his head in confusion, he stared at the made bed and the dusty furniture. Had it only been a dream? Was he so isolated that he was losing touch with reality? Shaking his head, he closed the door and locked it, just to be safe.

Once he ascended the stairs and re-entered his room, he sat on the bed to think. The merchant had said he needed a place to spend for the night. Well, as far as he could tell, it was still dark outside. Or it could just be that the storm was making it seem as though it were still night. Exasperated, he rose to his feet to dress. He couldn't sleep anymore. After all, he had a mystery on his hands. Everyone had been vanishing--his guards, his servants, and now the merchant. What was happening to his kingdom? If it was not a deity behind this phenomenon, but rather, a subject of his authority, he would have them severely punished. After he found out how he or she had managed to perform such an extraordinary feat.

He dressed, then walked over to the window to spend another morning staring outside. He wouldn't bother to look for his servants and guards until the afternoon, if they didn't come back first. Just as he began to ponder about how he should punish them for leaving, that's when it hit him. Something about the room was different. Slowly, he turned his head to find a mirror image of himself staring back. Startled, he jumped a bit, until he realized with great relief that it was only a mirror. Frowning, he stepped over to it to inspect it. Since when did he have a mirror in his room? He reached out and touched the faded antique brass frame. It was thoroughly elaborated with scrolls, grooves, and cherubim. It was tall and narrow, just big enough to see oneself along with a bit of the room. But it was taller than he was. He looked around, wondering where it had come from. Could this be the gift that the merchant had been describing? If so, he deemed it to be unworthy of someone of his nobility. Mirrors were not exactly something he was accustomed to having. Neither did he like the idea of owning one.

Sighing heavily, he turned around and walked out the door, shutting it. Perhaps he would go look for his guards and servants now instead of later. He didn't particularly like the idea of being in the castle alone, especially with his reflection. Something about it creeped him out. Not to mention he looked drastically different than he recalled. He looked like…Juudai. Something about this really made him uncomfortable, yet he wasn't really sure why. Nevertheless, he brushed the feeling away, and prepared to leave.

First, he put his armor on and made sure he had sufficient supplies for a long journey. He packed away staples of food and water as well as weapons. Then, he walked out into the rain to the stable. Normally, he didn't ride horses. But this might be quite a long trip, and he might encounter more than one enemy on the way. He needed a way of quickly eluding them. He was not going off to conquer; rather, he was going off to recover his lost possessions. He did not have the time to fight. If he had to, he would come back and take care of them later.

Sighing, he placed the bridle over the black stallion's head, followed by the saddle blanket and the saddle on its strong back. Finally, he mounted the creature and with a light whip of the reigns, rode off into the tempest. He would not allow any force, whether spirit or beast or human to outdo him. He would recover his armies. And there was nothing anyone could do about it. The merchant would have to be a question that he would answer later. For now, he couldn't afford to waste his time or energy on the man. But he would soon find out what the merchant had meant about the mysterious gift. It possessed far more worth than Haou realized.

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**A/N: Don't expect me to update any time soon. I have lots of work to do on Only Sixteen and I have to write a few oneshots plus a stormshipping fic. But it will get done, especially since summer is coming. I hope it made sense. And once more, not all of it is entirely literal. Though I am trying to stay closer to canon than pure fantasy. It will be explained.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Premonition

**A/N: I know I said I wouldn't update for awhile, but I have some time right now, so I changed my mind. But the next two weeks might be chaos so…I don't know how the future outlook will be for this fic. But I'll do my best. : )**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 2: The Premonition

The night was darker and more smothering than Haou had ever remembered it to be. He leaned against the boulder he was sitting in front of, and poked at the fire with a small stick. A streak of lightning lit up the sky from afar off, casting an eerie glow about the forest. Sighing, he shifted his position and stared over at his horse, which was tied to a nearby tree. He'd been out here for three days now, yet he'd had no luck in finding any trace of his army. Or any life at all for that matter. Something about this lifelessness bothered him. It wasn't that he wanted his kingdom to prosper and thrive; he just needed subjects to rule over. And if the kingdom was vacant, then who would he give commands to? He simply must discover what had happened.

The problem was, he had no leads to go on. Usually, he could figure problems out and solve dilemmas rather quickly, but now, he had no information regarding the disappearance, save what the merchant told him. But what sort of riddle was it? What did it mean? Was it to be taken figuratively, or was that part of the trick? Shaking his head, he tried to clear his mind so he could think logically.

If he recalled properly, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred until a few days prior to this incident. There had been many storms over the past few months, yes, but nothing really quaint had happened until that week. There had been disappearances of various objects, though, at the time he blamed it on the servants. Yet now that everyone had gone missing, he didn't doubt that those vanished items were just the beginning. And somehow, he felt as though this was not the end of it all.

Picking up a few more sticks and tossing them into the dying embers, Haou wondered if the entire world was going to be wiped clean. Would everything here vanish too? Would they be swept away into nothingness? Although he tried to tell himself the possibility didn't scare him, he was afraid. It made him nervous to think that his existence was threatened. It was simply human nature to try to preserve oneself. And then, of course, it made him angry to think that someone, or something, possessed more power than he. How dare anyone take what was rightfully his away from him! How dare that person think he could be easily manipulated! Well, once he found out what was going on, he would most surely put an end to this, this _creature_.

He felt a little better now that he'd assured himself of his own power. The discomfort gradually faded into the background, replaced with relief. Yes, he could do anything he wanted to. He was the king, after all. He was in charge of this land. And nothing could be more powerful than him.

Standing up, he pulled a blanket from the horse's saddlebags, so that he could get some sleep before heading out again. He spread it over the ground and lay still, staring at the ebony sky. Frowning, he thought that even the sky seemed lifeless. It was too quiet and too still. The air felt heavy. Feeling troubled again, he wondered if the world really was ending.

Needless to say, he didn't sleep very well that night either. Dreams plagued his already restless mind. Not to say they were bad dreams, but they most certainly weren't good ones either. He couldn't recall exactly what they were, but it was almost as though someone was crying out to him in pain…

One face did stick out in his mind that night, though. The dream clouded his vision of it so it was indistinct; however, there was one feature he could tell clearly: the eyes. The large, dark brown orbs shimmered with tears, begging him to help. He was frozen in the spot, unable to respond in the negative way he wished he could. If he'd thought he'd been through torment before, he sure had been mistaken. Nothing could be more irritating than being forced to stare into those eyes; the ever pleading cries for assistance and mercy shooting guiltily through his veins, causing him to feel the same sharp agony as the individual possessing it.

A wicked giggle came from behind him. Slowly, he felt himself being turned, to see a dark shadow looming over him, eyes glowing from far above. He would've reached for his sword, tried to fight, but he could only move as much as the figure would allow. Shackles enclosed around his wrists and ankles, swaying like snakes and jerking him about. The eyes pierced his mind, the pain searing his soul.

Then, he watched as clawed hands reached out. In them was a large, golden crown, more elegant and beautiful than any he'd seen in Dark World. His eyes followed it as it was placed above the eyes, and the never ending chant of an unseen crowd filled his mind as a stampede of screeching demons raced towards him, dragging him down to the abyss:

"_All hail the king…"_

His eyes shot open. Lightning streaked across the sky, sending an ear-splitting crack of thunder through his mind. The earth seemed to quake from the intensity of it. He wiped sweat from his brow and tried to calm his breathing back to normal. It had only been a dream…

Or was it a warning? Feeling uneasy, he got to his feet and rolled his blanket up. He really didn't want to think about it. There was no way he'd ever let that happen to him. However, he felt as though karma just might catch up to him one of these days…Perhaps it was mere guilt. If that was the case, then he needed to forget about it and move on with his life. There was nothing he could do. He should just act as though nothing happened. It wasn't like he would change his ways.

He began to wonder if the creature in his dream had had something to do with this. Or the individual possessing the dark eyes. Quickly, he shook it from his mind. Inwardly, he scoffed at the sheer foolishness of such a notion. Since when did he think such idiotic things? Perhaps it was just paranoia catching up with him. Perhaps it had been what the merchant had said. Irritated, he decided that if he ever caught sight of that obnoxious little man again, he's most surely be slain. Such insolence was not tolerated in his kingdom.

Gradually, daybreak arrived, and with it, the promise of a new day. For the first time in ages, the clouds parted in areas, allowing a small amount of golden light to shine down on the wet grass, causing each blade to shimmer like an emerald. Haou blinked in the light, wondering if he'd actually come so far that he was nearing the edge of the earth itself. After all, the sun never shone through at all at his castle.

As he walked deeper into the heart of the woods, leading his horse slowly along by the reigns, he noticed that there was something different the farther out he came. He stopped and listened. What was that noise? Why was there noise? So far, the only thing he'd been accustomed to hearing was the clank of his armor, the sound of his stallion's hooves against the path with an occasional whinny, and the claps of thunder. But this…this was different. It was a softer noise. It was a pleasant sound.

He came closer to it, taking care not to snap any twigs. Peering through the branches into a clearing, he saw a small stream with a waterfall. Looking about, he saw that there was nothing there, no life at all. Grumbling to himself about how he was becoming weak, he led his horse out into the clearing and tied it to a tree, so it could graze. He then knelt by the little pool accumulated at the base of the waterfall, and scooped a small amount of water in his hands, to wash his face and drink. As he did so, he stopped, and stared at the water in his palms. He stayed still, until the disturbance calmed, and then he looked down at his wavering reflection. His eyes stared back up at him, fiery amber. However, they were not as fierce as when he'd last seen them. Now, he had dark circles under them from sleeplessness and distress. He looked tired, worn out, lonely, and sad. Furrowing his brow in disgust, he pulled his hands apart and let his image slide back into the river, and drift downstream.

Pulling out a small canister, he refilled it with some of the water, then sat down on the grass to think again. If he kept this up, he'd probably lose his mind. He was compromising his health by doing this, which hadn't been too good anyway in the past few weeks. He figured it was thousands of years of loneliness and bitterness catching up to him. That wasn't good for anyone. His isolation caused him much grief, and that psychological grief became physical ailments. Lately, he hadn't been able to sleep. Even when he did, it was like he could never get enough. And no physician he'd seen had been able to cure him of it. He'd tried all the diets, all the herbs. Nothing seemed to work. And then too, he didn't even have an appetite. The days seemed endless in length; they ran into each other until he didn't even know where one ended and another began. He grew increasingly anxious and angry, which caused him many headaches and stomachaches. But he could not seem to find the source of his problems.

And then there were the omnipresent nightmares. Even if he was awake, he might black out and experience such a vision. He'd seen exorcists on the matter, but they couldn't do anything about it either. Apparently, it did not come from otherworldly influences or spirits but from within him. At least, that's what they'd told him. Of course, he'd deemed this to be absolute nonsense. Yet, deep inside, he worried that they might be right. Something was bothering him. And maybe he knew what it was but wasn't willing to admit it. Maybe it was a spirit sending him a message. He really hoped though, that whatever that message was, it wasn't that his time was limited.

Suddenly, he leaned back towards the river and stared down again at his reflection. It felt strange to see himself looking so different. He couldn't get over that. He ran his hands slowly over his face, then his hair, wondering if that much time had actually gone by. He knew he had a reincarnation in the other world but this…this was ridiculous. How could he look just like his reincarnation? Well, he always _had_ looked like that, he supposed, just not so…so…much like that.

As he watched the current, the light caught a flash of something beneath the waters. Frowning, he wondered if it were a fish of some sort. Leaning in closer, he stared at the area until he saw a flash again. No, it was definitely something metal. Could someone be hiding beneath the water, waiting to attack him?

Slowly, as not to startle whoever it was into action, he unsheathed his sword. Then, he quickly stabbed at the water. The blade hit the object. There was a dull clanging from below. He stopped stabbing and stared down at the water again. Whatever it was, it was something made of metal. Armor perhaps? Another sword? Taking a chance due to curiosity, he reached into the water to pull it out.

He found the water to be much deeper than he'd imagined. Reaching in as far as he could, he felt around for the object. It was nowhere to be found. Exasperated, he threw his armor off and plunged into the icy stream, determined to retrieve his prize.

He kicked violently, spiraling deeper and deeper, yet he could not seem to reach the bottom. Narrowing his eyes, he scanned the area for the object. It was nowhere to be found. Swimming closer to the waterfall, he noticed another flash of light. Quickly, he darted under the waterfall. As he turned upside down momentarily, he saw a cavern overhead, filled with water all the way to the top. Now this made no sense to him. He'd been out in the open just a moment ago. And from what he'd observed, the waterfall had been a small one, and simply had been bubbling down from a slight inclination. How was this sudden expanse of space possible?

The need for air shoved the thought out of his mind. He had to find a way out of there quickly. He swam back the way he came, trying to find the area were the water was agitated. Much to his horror, he found it was gone. He looked about wildly, finding himself trapped in the circular cavern, with no escape. There was no entrance. There was no exit. It was just solid rock all around him. Panic overwhelmed his senses.

He tried desperately to calm himself. He couldn't be upset if he wanted a way out of this situation. Swimming over to the walls, he gave it a little nudge, then a sharper kick. Nothing happened. He tried this on several walls before giving up. Then, he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. He froze, then slowly reached for the hilt of his sword.

He watched from the corner of his eye as the shadow moved nearer, until it was right behind him. Whatever the creature was, it was quite sizable. Slowly, he turned to find himself staring into thousands of silver, razor sharp fangs. His eyes slowly moved up from the mouth to gaze upon the largest fish he'd ever laid eyes upon. Instead of growing more afraid, he merely lunged towards the beast and sliced through it easily with his sword. He tensed as crimson clouded the water. Somehow, that had been too easy.

He felt pulses in the water as something equally monumental seemed to be swimming his way. Another one? There must have been a school of them nearby. He watched the shadows approaching rapidly, gripping the hilt of the sword, ready to attack.

Weakness from lack of oxygen, caught up with him, however. He saw out of the corner of his eye another shadow. Drifting slightly towards it, he saw that it was a mirror, identical to the one that the merchant had given him. As the current pulled his limp body towards it, he saw his reflection in it, and then behind him, the school of razor toothed fish. Their jaws protruded from their bodies, their eyes beady and red. One opened its mouth and a piercing scream vibrated through the water, causing him to wince. The fish next to that one suddenly leapt upon it, and tore it to shreds, littering the water with more blood and loose flesh. Haou shuddered and backed away from the school, as his vision began to darken. Just as this occurred, however, his body tapped against the mirror. He felt himself being sucked into a force far greater than the current of the water, almost like a whirlpool. That was when he blacked out.

* * *

Something warm tickled Haou's forehead. Grimacing, he stirred and cracked his eyes open partially. Blinking to let his vision adjust, he stared up to see his horse sniffing his hair, having gotten free of its bonds. Slowly, he stood to his feet, stretching and wondering if it had been another atrocious nightmare. Then, looking down at his armor cast aside and his wet clothes, he figured not. Unless he had somehow leapt into the river and swam about while in his state of semi-unconsciousness.

Instead of being frightened from his experience, his curiosity was whetted. He leaned back over the edge of the water and peered down. He thrust his hand in, trying to push it down as far as it would go. Before he'd even gotten his elbow in, his hand hit the rocky bottom. Frowning, he felt around the bottom of the streambed until his hand hit something that felt different from a rock. It couldn't be the same as the other rocks in the riverbed. Feeling on it, he decided the density was too different for it to be the same. Not to mention it was a lot sharper. Fishing it out, he examined it and found it to be a long, silver sliver of something. Gazing closer and narrowing his eyes, he saw that it was a piece of glass that reflected his image. His eyes widened. In the glass, beyond his image, he saw a dark shadowy figure with glowing red eyes racing towards him. Quickly, he whirled around. There was nothing to be found behind him. Then, looking down, he saw a large, red gash in his arm, where something had scraped its teeth against him. That's when he knew he was dealing with something far more dangerous than a dream.

* * *

After that incident, Haou decided he'd had enough of searching for his army. He figured that if it was meant to be, then there was nothing he could do to stop it. Perhaps they would return later. He kept the shard of glass and took it back to the castle with him, and set it in a small box which he stored in his dresser. Now, more than ever, the mirror in his room caused him discomfort. However, for some reason, he didn't remove it. Something told him that he shouldn't touch it.

He reviewed the incident in his mind over and over again, trying to figure out how it had happened, how it could possibly be real. Or perhaps it was another vision and he'd inflicted pain on himself. He could've rolled around most disgracefully in the stream and caused himself to be cut by the shard of glass. Yes, that had to be the most logical explanation. Grimacing, he wished there was some way he could stop the terrible visions and such. He decided that, since they were getting worse, it was a good thing that his servants were gone. If they saw him in such a vulnerable state, surely they'd lose all respect for him.

Feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole matter, he sat on the edge of his bed and snatched a book up, to read. Perhaps he could get his troubled mind off his problems with it. Or perhaps it would aid him by offering him a piece of valuable information, a key to unlock a solution. It offered him no such comfort. Beginning to agonize over it, he tossed the book angrily across the room, and against the wall. He stood to pace.

No contemplation or mediation was going to solve this impasse. He needed consul. However, no one was there to discuss the matter with. No one was there to help him figure out how things were working. He didn't even know if he was still dreaming. Flopping down in front of the window, he stared out, angry and frustrated.

After a long time, he heaved a heavy sigh and shifted his gaze towards the mirror in the corner. Curiosity got the better of him. He stared into the glassy surface, and beyond his reflection. The other mirror he'd found had shown him where he had been before, perhaps this one could help him find an answer within himself. As he stared deeper into his reflection, he noticed the room behind him growing darker, until it had completely faded to shadows. Frowning, he watched as his reflection's eyes changed color. They stared back at him, begging for assistance. His own eyes widened, as he recognized the eyes as the same ones from his dream. He fell back, away from the mirror, and looked around him, his heart pounding. The room was just the way he'd left it. Glancing back at the mirror, he found that the vision was gone.

"It's nothing," He muttered aloud to himself, breaking the silence for the first time in days. He startled a bit at the sound of his own voice, echoing loudly in the large room. He tried to get a hold on himself, but it was rather difficult after the scare he'd been through.

Gazing back at the mirror, he dared to look deeply into it again. Nothing happened. Scoffing to himself, he decided it had been a mere figment of his imagination. Nothing was wrong with it; it was just his own mind playing tricks on him. Well, he supposed that years of isolation would do that to a man.

As he left the room, shutting the door behind him to eat dinner, he failed to notice that his image did not leave the mirror in the corner. The eyes changed colors to dark brown once more, only this time, they were filled with blissful naiveté. The boy in the mirror seemed oblivious to the fact that there was another presence in his mind, and continued to live life as though there was not a care in the world. However, little did he know that his life was about to be interrupted by the dark presence lingering in his mind.

* * *

**A/N: All right, short chapter, I know. But it's still the introduction. Next chapter, things will heat up and Haou's in for a major shock. I promise you, it'll be worth the wait. And it'll be longer too, I'm sure. : )**


	3. Chapter 3: The Arrival

**A/N: Well, here's where the action picks up, just like I promised. I hope it's not too far-fetched. -.-**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

* * *

Chapter 3: The Arrival

It had been several weeks since Haou had left the castle. Being pent up inside all alone with no one to order around or talk to had left him feeling anxious and frustrated. He hadn't found a clue to what had happened to his subjects either, which only added to his troubled state of mind. Gradually, he stopped eating and spent most of his time wandering through the empty halls, gazing at items he'd gained from previous raids. His past glory seemed like a dream now. He felt he had no way to retain it if there was no one to take his anger out on.

The loneliness and anxiety eventually wore him down. Since he had not eaten or slept very much, his body was in a weakened state, and he soon found himself so ill he was unable to get out of bed. Grimly, he figured that his time had finally come. Nevertheless, being stubborn as he was, he decided he would fight it as long as he could.

For what seemed like several agonizing days, he writhed in pain and wished that there was someone there to give him even the slightest bit of aid. The weather was even worse than usual; it seemed as though the wind might blow the castle down any moment. Even worse was the terrible silence interrupted by crashes of thunder and the sound of trees falling down outside. The tempest would not cease or even lighten up. Rather, it grew worse with each passing hour. It seemed as though Dark World was going to finally come to an end. He had to find an escape before it did.

Perhaps it was a delusion brought about by fever that caused him to do what he did next, but whatever the reason, he felt the strange urge to go back to the mirror in his corner. He stared at it all day, desperately wishing he could go inspect it again. Finally, he worked up the strength to get out of bed, although it took him quite awhile to make it over to the corner. Laying his hand flat against the surface, he stared deeply into it, so much so it made him dizzy. The surface became clouded over; he couldn't see the room behind him anymore in the reflection. He felt himself beginning to pass out as his hand started to sink into the glass. Wondering if it were just his imagination and if he were dying, he tried to resist, but found himself completely incapable. As his vision darkened, he felt himself falling forwards and seemingly floating through the shadows that encompassed him. Everything went black.

* * *

When he gradually began to come to, he felt sorer than ever. He felt as though he'd fallen from a cliff and hit the ground flat on his back. His whole body was stiff, and refused to obey his commands. Each breath was one he fought for; he struggled to keep alive. It was a wonder he was even alive.

Through all his pain and clouded over consciousness, however, he also noticed several factors that were different. For one thing, whatever he was lying on was incredibly soft and comfortable. He was also warm, which felt strange to him after being so cold in Dark World. Then there was another thing that bothered him: the silence. This was a different silence. He wondered what made it so strange. Something was missing. It was then that it hit him: there was no storm raging outside. Instead, there was a quieter, much more pleasant sound that took place periodically. As he grew more accustomed to it, he realized with a twinge of excitement that it was the sound or a murmured conversation. Finally, things were back to normal! Now he could go about his life ordering his subjects around. First, he'd have to punish them for leaving, of course, but he was, indeed, glad that they'd come back.

Opening his eyes as far as he was able, he tried to make out who it was. His vision was still dark and clouded over, so he wasn't able to make out much. As he woke up a bit more, though, he recognized one of the voices to be feminine. Frowning a bit, he realized that it was unfamiliar. Slowly, he managed to open his eyes half way.

Peering around the room, a sense of shock overwhelmed him. The walls were white and smooth in texture, unlike the rough stones of his castle. There was an annoyingly bright light overhead, which temporarily blinded him. He was lying in a bed of some sort, but the sheets were white and silky to the touch. Across from the bed was some sort of cabinet, only, instead of wood it was made of gray metal. Looking over to the corner, he saw a desk with papers strewn across it and an odd looking chair behind it. There were framed documents on the walls across the perimeter of the room. There was a curtain that hung against the wall near the bed that could be used to separate it from the rest of the room. Yet, strangely, the windows didn't have curtains. Rather, they had slim, white slats which looked almost like horizontal bars. Even stranger to him, an abundance of light was trickling in through them, spilling across the floor.

He shifted his feet a bit, only to find something heavy and warm across them. Peering down his nose at it, he found a large, orange cat to be lying at the foot of _his_ bed. Disgusted, he tried to kick it off, but found his body too weak. Hearing a hushed comment that sounded a bit like a joke, he glanced over to the right of his bed to find a face leaned in close to his. Jumping with surprise, he almost fell onto the floor.

"You're awake," a voice said, pointing out the obvious.

He slowly nodded. He could only focus on the pair of chocolate eyes that were watching him intensely.

"Hi," The boy beamed, grinning widely, "how are you doing?"

Haou opened his mouth to speak, but only a small, unmanly squeak came out. Irritated, he realized he'd lost his voice. And just when he wanted to convey his utter displeasure at the situation!

"You look just like me," The boy continued, "only with different colored eyes. Do you think you're like my long lost twin?"

Haou gritted his teeth. What an insolent comment to make to a king! Did he have no concept of who he was? Well, perhaps he didn't…

"I'm Yuuki Juudai," The boy continued, smiling warmly down at him, "and you are?"

Haou just shook his head, trying to communicate his inability to speak. Juudai just looked down at him, puzzled.

"Well, Ok…" He looked thoughtful, then pulled the covers higher up over Haou, "You're really lucky, you know that? Asuka and I found you almost dead out near the Osiris dorm. It's a good thing that we could do something for you." He grinned again. "Ayukawa-sensei says you're going to be Ok. She just said you needed some antibiotics and you'd be fine. You were just really sick."

Haou sighed heavily. He didn't really understand what Juudai was talking about. He wished that the boy would be more explanatory. Exasperated, he rolled over on his side and began to cough a bit.

"Hey, you might want to lie on you back," Juudai suggested, "You sort of have pneumonia…you might not be able to breathe like that."

Haou rolled over to face Juudai and frowned at him. All he wanted was to go to sleep. And Juudai just wasn't going to let him if he kept chattering away like this. Exasperated, he closed his eyes only to be rudely interrupted by the same female voice he'd heard earlier.

"Excuse me, but it's time to take your medicine."

Tiredly, he opened his eyes and scowled up at the red-haired woman. She held some small pills out toward him, and a glass or water. He stared at them for a long time, unsure of what she wanted him to do. Finally, it clicked in his fogged up mind that she wanted him to eat them. Wondering how such a thing could provide him with a meal, he took them from her. She held the water out towards him again. Begrudgingly, he took the glass from her too.

"Don't chew them," She warned, "You swallow these."

Swallow them? Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, he wondered what exactly she was trying to do. What if she was trying to poison him? He glanced over at Juudai uncertainly. He didn't trust the woman. But he would trust Juudai. After all, he'd know the boy for seventeen years. And he knew Juudai was honest. However, he also was very clueless and lacked basic information of situations. But he seemed to trust the woman, so Haou supposed he had no choice. After all, Juudai had said that he'd almost died. Well, if he was going to die anyway, he might as well take a chance to try to survive. Reluctantly, he put them in his mouth and used the water to wash them down quickly. Making a bit of a grimace, he handed the glass back to the woman. He didn't want to drink any more, lest that was poisoned too.

"Are you sure he'll be fine, Ayukawa-sensei?" Juudai asked the woman.

She nodded. "Just let him rest for a couple of weeks. He should be back on his feet in no time."

Juudai turned his attention back to Haou. "I guess you can stay with me once you're well enough. I'm sure she'll let you leave in a few days."

Haou didn't particularly like the idea, however, he accepted it. Being with Juudai wasn't as bad as being with a bunch of people he didn't know. He was unfamiliar to this world. Once he learned how things worked, perhaps he would conquer it. It would have to suffice since he'd lost Dark World.

Feeling another wave of exhaustion wash over him, he closed his eyes and started to drift to sleep. As he was falling into a state of unconsciousness, he heard Juudai promise him that he wouldn't leave. He strongly doubted that; however, did not protest. Within a few minutes, he had fallen into a deep, dreamless state.

* * *

For the next few days, he mostly slept. He hadn't realized how sleep deprived he'd been. But he had to admit it was nice getting a chance to rest without the responsibility of looking over his castle and Dark World. Since he didn't have a way to return, he might as well accept it and get something for himself out of the situation.

By the fourth day, Ayukawa-sensei told him that it was all right for him to leave and rest in a dorm room. She said he had gained enough strength, but he'd have to continue resting and taking medication. He was more than happy to leave; however, he was less than pleased with his accommodations.

"Well, this is it!" Juudai exclaimed, leading him into the small, cramped Osiris dorm room.

Haou wrinkled his nose at the dingy odor. What sort of place was this? It was not fit for someone of his regal status. The walls were painted an annoying shade of yellow, and there was a triple bunk bed off to the right. There was a window framed with green drapes, and under them had been put a makeshift cot. He hoped it wasn't for him. As he stepped in, he found a short counter opposite the bed with a small refrigerator and coffee maker. There was also a bookshelf near the bed. On the left wall was a desk with a chair. And that was it. Disgusted, he turned to walk out, but Juudai caught him by the arm.

"You'll sleep there," He said, pointing to the cot.

Haou vehemently protested, but was quieted by the other boy.

"It's not so bad," Juudai insisted, "You'll like it here. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it's really cozy."

Disappointed, Haou merely sat on the edge of the cot and sighed. There wasn't anything he could very well do about it. He couldn't get back to Dark World. He wasn't in charge of anyone in this world…yet. At the very least he didn't have to spend his time in that bright room with that annoying woman. Perhaps he would get some peace. And this was the perfect opportunity for him to expand his knowledge. Besides, he'd wanted Juudai to notice his existence for quite some time now. At least he had his attention. Perhaps he could train Juudai and teach him. Then he could utilize him and they could conquer the world together.

He was shaken out of his thoughts as Juudai told him, "We're going to have to go shopping for you."

Haou looked up in surprise.

"We need to get you some clothes and some shoes and other things like toothbrushes and stuff like that." Juudai explained, scratching his cheek and looking a bit thoughtful, "I mean, right now, you don't have anything. And you haven't told us anything so we don't know where you came from or what your name is or where you went to school. Actually, you haven't said anything at all! Well, except that little angry noise you made at me when I showed you where you'd sleep…but that doesn't count. Say, what is your name?"

Haou found it strange to even think of speaking. He hadn't in so long that it seemed foreign to him. He'd much rather prefer to keep quiet. However, sighing, he decided he had no choice. "Haou is what you will refer to me as," He ordered.

Juudai blinked. "Well, Ok…so…um…guess we'll have to go find you some clothes now. The Chancellor said I could skip class and go to the mainland to get you the necessities. He thinks you're my twin or something. I mean, it seems like it could be…"

Haou stared at him in utter disbelief. Could the other boy not sense who he was? Had Juudai been completely unaware of his presence? He felt as though he knew Juudai better than the boy knew himself. Yet Juudai didn't know a thing about him…

"Well, come on," Juudai insisted, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him outside.

Haou resented him for how forcibly he dragged him out, but didn't say anything. He was too busy wondering why he needed new clothes. Honestly, he didn't see what was so wrong about the ones he was wearing. Rather, he thought _Juudai_ was the one who needed new clothes. They were much too tight for his taste. He really hoped that he wouldn't be expected to dress in a similar fashion. It was just despicable to him.

As they walked towards the dock with Juudai chattering away about nothing in particular, Haou took note of his surroundings. He found that they were on an island and that there was a volcano set close to the buildings. He wondered whose bright idea it had been to make such an error. It would be a catastrophe if it ever erupted. He also took note of the scattered dorms and the woods nearby, as well as the students. If he'd thought that Juudai's attire had been inappropriate, he was in for quite a shock when he saw how the girls were dressed. He stared at the tight, sleeveless tops and the thigh high mini-skirts. So far, he'd been silent. But he could not hold his tongue at this atrocity.

"Why do your women dress like whores?" He queried, looking solemn.

Juudai stopped in his tracks, taken aback. "Wh-what?!"

Haou repeated calmly, "Why do your women dress like whores?"

Juudai looked at the group of girls standing nearby, gossiping about who had made the biggest mistake in a duel. His eyes slid back over to Haou. "They do not!" He insisted, then, scratching his head and looking thoughtfully up at the sky, "I really never noticed that too much…well, not until recently. But I wouldn't go so far as to call them _that_. It's the school uniform…I don't know who came up with it…Maybe it is a bit, er, out there but it's not uncommon. If you just walk through downtown Tokyo you'd see--"

Haou frowned. "Enough."

Juudai sighed and grinned sheepishly. "Ah, well, never mind." He fell uncharacteristically silent as he walked the rest of the way to the dock.

Haou stared down at the motorboat that Juudai pointed out. He didn't really see how they could go across the ocean in such a small vessel. Before he could protest, though, Juudai jumped into the boat and started the engine. The noise startled Haou.

"Wh-what's that?!" He demanded to know.

"What's what?" Juudai asked, blinking cluelessly.

"That atrocious noise!" Haou answered, looking irritated, "Make it stop!"

"Oh," Juudai laughed, "It's just the motor. It may be a little rusty…I don't know." He shrugged and gestured for Haou to get in as well. "Come on."

Skeptical, Haou studied to boat carefully. As far as he could tell, there were no leaks. Neither was there any significant damage to it. Deciding it was sturdy enough, he carefully stepped into it and seated himself on one of the wooden planks that served as a type of bench.

"Ready?" Juudai asked, sitting at the wheel.

Haou just nodded, watching curiously as Juudai pulled a lever back and started to steer the boat through the choppy waters. He found it strange that the boat propelled itself without a sail or oars. There was a set of oars beneath his seat, though; he supposed they might be to be used if the boat stopped moving itself. There was also a red can under the seat. Pulling it out to inspect it, he noticed a strong, distinct odor coming from it that wasn't all that pleasant. He wondered what it was, but didn't say anything. He simply pushed it back under the seat.

Expecting the trip to last a few days or even weeks, he settled back against the wall of the boat and stared up at the sky. He watched the billowy white clouds pass overhead to entertain himself. In what seemed like no time at all, however, the boat stopped and Juudai tied it to a dock.

"We're here."

Haou looked down at him. Perhaps the island hadn't been so far from mainland as he'd imagined.

Juudai led him down the sidewalk past shops and business offices. All the while, Haou took the sights in, though he did it discreetly and silently. His face remained expressionless, but he was awed by the technology of Juudai's world. Never before could he have imagined that there would be carriages that made themselves move. Nor could he have ever dreamed that even bigger carriages would _fly,_ of all things, through the sky. Yes, if he took control of this world, he would have a lot of useful resources to help command his subjects.

Juudai stopped in front of a department store and dragged Haou in, interrupting him from his observations. Inside, he found the ceiling to be lit with the same obnoxious bright lights as he'd first woken up to. The dull glow irritated him to no end. As his eyes adjusted, he noticed racks of clothes. And to his surprise, on each rack, every garment was identical. There were also shelves of various items that were the exact same. He stepped over to a display of little frog ornaments and picked one up.

"What a strange idol," He murmured to himself, turning it this way and that, inspecting it.

Juudai, having heard him, laughed, which agitated the king. Ignoring his piercing yellow glare, Juudai explained, "Those are just ornaments that people put on their shelves to decorate." He took the figurine from Haou and set it back on the shelf, "They're not idols. I don't know where you came from, but if you don't know half the stuff here then either you came from a strange country, or you got hit in the head and have amnesia."

Haou glowered. "No such thing happened to me!" He insisted, "No one would dare to hit me in the head. And if they even tried, they would not live long enough to do so."

"O-kay…" Juudai said, backing away a little, "Or you could just be crazy…" He suddenly laughed again, "Oh, I get it! That was supposed to be a joke. You're funny, did you know that?"

Haou grimaced. "And you're annoying, did _you_ know _that_?"

Juudai merely shook his head and muttered something under his breath, continuing to smile. He led Haou into the men's department and began looking through some shirts. Haou found the styles to be garish, unattractive, and just plain odd. He could not understand how anyone would want to dress in such tight clothes. They weren't comfortable, they weren't practical, and they weren't made of material that would last for a year. Disgusted, he also noticed that they were completely useless if one wanted to keep warm. They weren't suitable for combat either.

"Don't you have anything better?" He asked, watching in dismay as Juudai picked out some T-shirts.

"Better?" Juudai asked, blinking, "What do you want?"

"Only something that is of high quality, durable, and practical for combat. It needs to be able to handle stress and be flexible enough to stretch a bit, I suppose. This fabric looks as though it would tear from just _sitting_ idly in it." He responded.

Cocking his head a bit to one side, Juudai raised an eyebrow. "You really are weird, aren't you?"

Haou opened his mouth then closed it, seeing how Juudai had turned his back and was now picking out pairs of jeans for him. Sighing, he leaned against a counter of watches and tried not to reprimand Juudai for his insolence. After all, how was Juudai to know? Normally, he wouldn't have been so lenient about these things. However, he found that there was no alternative. Juudai would have to learn his place later, once he gained his full strength back. He wondered if he was even supposed to be out in public if he were so sick. Perhaps it was just Juudai's forgetfulness that had caused him to lapse in judgment. Or maybe he just didn't think about it period.

"Here, try these on," Juudai said, shoving the pile of clothes at him and pointing towards a dressing room, "See if they fit. You look about my size, but I want to make sure."

Haou glanced over at the dressing room. He wasn't really sure what appeal there was in trying other people's clothes on in public, of all places, but if he was supposed to, then he figured he should do it. That wasn't to say that he wouldn't much rather have a personal tailor to custom make all his clothes. Sighing, he shook his head and thought about how this society was so impersonal in nature. But he would change that as soon as he gained the upper hand.

Locking himself into a small room, he wondered how anyone could be expected to strip down and change. He found it to be most distasteful and most lacking in proper manners. No one should behave so obscenely in public. Feeling a bit uncomfortable and cynical about the privacy of the room, he started to undress. Catching glimpse of the mirror, he jumped a little. After what he'd been through, he certainly didn't want anything more to do with those things. He half expected to be sucked into it and be sent to some strange world where everything was upside down.

Begrudgingly, he started to pull a T-shirt over his head. He was surprised at how soft and comfortable to fabric was. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to wear these clothes, after all. They weren't as useless as he'd originally thought. Maybe he was just skeptical of change. He shouldn't have judged it by appearance alone, either.

The jeans were a little tight for his taste, yet still comfortable enough. He looked in disgust at his reflection and thought he looked rather strange. However, he might as well fit in. That way no one would pay any attention to him while he gathered information about this world.

There was a sharp knock on the door, followed by Juudai's voice. "Are you done yet?"

Haou quickly stripped and redressed himself in his own clothes. Then, gathering up the rather large pile, he opened the door. Shoving the pile at Juudai, he walked past him without a word.

"Did they fit?" Juudai asked, following him.

Haou merely nodded.

"Then I guess we'll go ahead and get them."

"Why would I need all those clothes?" Haou asked.

Juudai didn't know how to respond. He finally just shrugged and said, "You'll need some when the others are dirty and being washed. Or if anything tears up I guess. Don't worry. Some of the teachers gave me some money to help buy your stuff with."

"Why would they do that?" Haou wondered aloud.

"Because you don't have anything," Juudai replied, "And you need it so…I guess they did it out of kindness."  
"I don't need charity," He said in disgust, yet didn't do anything to stop Juudai from putting it in a cart.

"Now," Juudai told him, "We're going to get you some soap and shampoo and toothpaste and stuff. Then we'll look at shoes."

"What's wrong with the ones I have on?" Haou asked, frowning, "They're perfectly good."

Juudai glanced down at them and shook his head. "You need new ones…those are looking a bit worn."

Grumbling a bit, Haou followed him down the aisles. Juudai quickly picked things off shelves and threw them in the cart. Haou stared down at them, wondering why the school didn't provide those things for him. He asked Juudai this.

"Well," Juudai said uncomfortably, shifting a bit, "We do have some at school but…since we're here…I thought maybe we could pick some up?"

Haou sighed heavily. "You really don't think do you?"

Juudai refused to respond, only led Haou to pick out some shoes.

The shopping took a rather long time and by the end of it, Haou was thoroughly exhausted. He was still weak and it had been a lot of walking. Not to mention Juudai had dragged him all over town picking up various items. He told Haou that the school would provide him with a starter deck to use, since he would be attending there. Haou wished that he had his own deck with him, but he had no such luck. Instead, he had to use peasants' cards.

"Juudai," He asked as the rode in the boat back towards the Academia, "Why does your school want me to attend? They know nothing about me."

Juudai shrugged. "They take whoever falls on their doorstep. In return for the necessities, you have to be a student here."

"That makes no sense," Haou insisted, "I don't see where the exchange theory comes into all of this."

Juudai grinned. "Publicity for the school, I guess. If they do things like that, then people will give them more attention and act like they're all great. Maybe they might even send their kids there. And if you become a successful pro, it'll make them look good."

"So you are smarter than you act," Haou mused, "Still, I don't know why people don't just drop unwanted children on their doorstep and--"

"I don't know either," Juudai sighed, cutting him off.

Juudai pulled the boat to the dock and tied it up, then, taking some of the bags, jumped out. Sighing, Haou took the remaining bags and stepped carefully out. Due to his weakness and exhaustion, he lost his balance and started to fall into the water. Juudai dropped his bags and grabbed him, keeping him from falling. Grumbling that he didn't need any help, Haou regained his composure and stepped onto the dock, with Juudai's help.

"Why didn't you tell me you didn't feel well?" Juudai asked in concern.

Haou refused to answer, only walked ahead of the other boy as dignified as he was able. It greatly annoyed him that he'd had to rely on others to get him back on his feet. And, as soon as he was self sufficient again, he would be sure to never accept charity again! It was shameful.

Juudai tried to take the bags Haou was carrying, but he wouldn't allow it. He could do just fine on his own. There was no way that he'd sacrifice all his independence. Somehow, he made it back to the room, though he collapsed to his cot once he had.

"Oh!" Juudai exclaimed, looking at the time, "It's time for your medicine."

Quickly, he drew a glass of water and poured two pills in his hand. He offered it to Haou, who reluctantly took it.

"So," Juudai began, settling himself comfortably next to Haou on the cot, "Tell me about where you came from."

Haou looked at Juudai, scowling. "Be quiet, Juudai. I'm tired."

"You're a little cranky," Juudai commented, "Maybe you just need a little hug…"

"I need no such--"

Before he could continue, Juudai threw his arms around him and squeezed him in a bear hug. It was so tight, Haou could hardly breathe.

"Stop that!" He commanded, his face turning a bit scarlet from anger. "Don't touch me!"

Juudai released him. "All right, yeesh. It's just you seemed like you'd been through a lot and..." He trailed off, deciding it best not to talk anymore with the way Haou was glaring at him. "I think I'll just let you rest now." Quickly, he got up and closed the drapes so the room was dark.

As he began to walk out the door, he stopped and looked back at Haou. Frowning, Haou wished he'd just leave already so he could get some peace and quiet. Juudai turned around all the way.

"You know, I think I should probably tell Sho and Kenzan not to come in here for awhile."

Haou's eyes widened. "There's MORE of you people in here?!"

Juudai nodded weakly. "Is that a problem?"

Haou closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, and took a deep breath, refusing to answer.

"Um, Haou? You Ok, there?"

In response, Haou picked up his pillow, and threw it at Juudai. Juudai left him alone for awhile after that.

* * *

**A/N: Well, that was a bit more humorous I guess but…I hope they're mostly IC. -.- I really try…Next chapter will probably have more humor, with Haou trying to adjust to the Academia and meeting all of Juudai's friends…which probably won't bode too well. But I promise that it won't have just humor in the coming up chapters. There will be more to do with the mirrors later. : P**


	4. Chapter 4: Adjustment

**A/N: Ugh. I've been forced to go all over the frickin' state this weekend, so I'm so exhausted it's ridiculous. I feel like I'm about to drop dead. -.- At least I got to sleep in the car. But I don't have much energy because I have hardly been eating…and I've been forced to go out for four days in a row running all over town. And then I have to go out again TOMORROW and I just want to sleep…I just wanna puke actually. Well, I guess my point is, I'm going to try my best with the chapter, but if I screw up, it's because I'm three-quarters asleep.**

**EDIT: This is a revised chapter. I decided I didn't like some things and changed it. I would like to specifically thank Mazeru Okinata for helping me with these new changes. I consulted her about it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

* * *

Chapter 4: Adjustment

Haou tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He felt too energized to sleep. Wondering if perhaps he'd slept too much while he had been sick, he rolled over on his stomach, his face buried in the pillow. No position seemed to be comfortable enough. He just wasn't satisfied. It could have had something to do with the fact that he'd gotten absolutely nothing done over the past few days. He hated being so idle. It drove him crazy. Rolling over on his back, he stared up at the ceiling, about to burst with boredom and anxiety. Finally unable to take it anymore, he jumped out of bed and paced around the moonlit room.

His eyes slid over to the bunk bed, where Juudai lay resting. He watched Juudai sleep peacefully for a moment, somewhat envious. Then, he looked up to find two other forms occupying the bunks above. His golden eyes narrowed. He hated sharing his living space with just one person, let alone _three_. Someone of his status deserved the imperial suite. Or at the very least a room of his own. He was disgusted with his living quarters, with his roommates, and with his roommates' slovenly habits. They were unbearably messy when it came to anything and everything. And it didn't seem like they always carried out appropriate hygiene either.

Stepping over a pair of dirty boxers in disgust, he wondered why he had to stay in the Osiris quarters. After all, he'd quickly learned that the best duelists resided in Obelisk blue. So why was he here? Well, no one had seen him duel yet. And it was customary for new students to start out in Osiris. He supposed he could take care of that little matter later.

Looking back over at Juudai, he wondered why _he_ was still in Osiris. Remembering how he slept through all his classes, Haou grimaced. They would have to do something about that habit of his. He didn't want Juudai to fail, or reflect poorly on him. That was the last thing he wanted.

Around that time, the sun had begun to come up. Ignoring the yellow rays of light that spilt across the floor, he continued pacing and thinking. He wanted to find some way to get back to Dark World. He had to find out if it was really destroyed, or if things were back to normal. All he wanted was to continue his life, and continue his bloody ways. What he wouldn't give to feel the cool hilt of a sword in his hand again, as he swung it gracefully towards an unsuspecting victim. Shuddering in sadistic delight at the mental image, he stopped and imagined what it would be like to go back. He couldn't get anything accomplished here it seemed. After all, to do that, Juudai would have to recognize him first. He needed Juudai's cooperation on the matter.

Too bad, though, that this would be no small feat. After all, Juudai did not seem to remember anything about their shared past. He had been pushing the thought far back for some time now, but it bothered him so much, he almost could not ignore it any longer. Juudai didn't remember him any more than he remembered Yubel. And it was Haou's fault too. If only he'd been more careful with the young boy….yet he'd had no mercy and forced Juudai to make a painful decision…

At that moment, the loud, shrill ringing of the alarm clock split through the silence. Haou jumped and whirled around, completely caught off guard. Juudai slept right through the noise. Haou watched as a small, blue-haired boy leaned over the edge of the bed and turned the alarm off. Then, the boy took a pair of glasses out of its case and set them on his nose. He looked, or rather stared, at Haou.

"Juudai-kun?"

Haou clenched his teeth in annoyance. This child was too weak to be useful to him. He could tell just from observing his casual mannerisms and his countenance. "I am NOT Juudai," He hissed, turning away.

It was at that moment that another face popped over the edge of the bed. "What's going on, Sho?"

Haou grimaced. So the other one was awake too? He glanced over his shoulder to see what other sort of person Juudai kept company with. Strength practically oozed from this boy. Interested, he turned to look him up and down. Well, he seemed healthy enough, with nicely tanned complexion and bulging muscles. Haou could practically feel the strength of character oozing from him as well. Now this boy, he could possibly use. Perhaps as a duelist or a warrior.

Pulling himself from his thoughts, he looked back at Juudai, ignoring the conversation going on between Sho and the other boy. He leaned over Juudai, staring down at him. Would he not wake for anything? If he weren't snoring so loudly, Haou would've thought he was dead. Taking him firmly by the shoulders, he gave Juudai a hard shake. Juudai, however, refused to wake up. He simply brushed Haou's hands away, mumbled something, and rolled over, his back to Haou. Now this was too much. How dare he turn his back on a king! Enraged, Haou seized him by the arms and promptly flung him from the bed, introducing his head to the cold floor.

"Ouch!" Juudai groaned, opening his eyes a crack. He stared up at the irritated king, then sat up. "Good morning!"

"That's all you have to say for yourself?!" Haou seethed, narrowing his eyes, "You'd better pull yourself together. You've not been acting satisfactory in the least."

Blinking in confusion, Juudai scratched his head and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Idiot," Haou glared at him, "You won't get it. You just _won't_ understand. It's not like you lack proper intellect, it's the fact that you simply, utterly _refuse_."

"Um, you're not making any sense…" Juudai laughed a little, still puzzled. "Well, I'm going to get dressed. I guess you should too…Then we can go get some breakfast and I'll introduce you to the gang." He beamed, then looked over at his roommates. "Oh! I almost forget. How rude of me. That's Marufuji Sho and Tyranno Kenzan. They're my roommates."

Haou looked them over at them momentarily. Then, just because he wasn't sure what else to say, and his upbringing demanded it, he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you…" Truth be told, he was less than pleased to meet them. He rather wished he'd never been flung so suddenly into this strange world.

In the meanwhile, Juudai had been rummaging through the drawers. Smiling, he threw an article of clothing at Haou. He caught it and unfolded it, his mouth twisting in distaste at the red Osiris jacket.

"You'll need to wear that," Juudai told him, smiling as he started to pull his nightclothes off, "It's the uniform. You'll be going to class with me today."

Haou sighed deeply. "Very well. If that's what's required. Though I truly hope people don't get us confused…"

Juudai laughed. "Nah, I don't think they will. You look a whole lot different with your eyes and your expression and your attitude and all."

Haou refused to respond to this comment, just pulled a black T-shirt and a pair of dark gray jeans that Juudai had bought for him out of the drawer. Looking back over at Juudai, he frowned. The boy had by then stripped to his boxers and was about to pull his jeans on. Shaking his head, Haou began to undress as well. He truly hated to do such a thing in front of other people, but he didn't very well have much of a choice. It really bothered him how Sho and Kenzan were watching him, too. Quickly, he finished dressing.

"Well," Juudai said, grabbing Haou's wrist and waving to Sho and Kenzan, "I'm going to take him down to breakfast and to meet everyone. I'll see you guys in a few."

"Ok, see you later--saurus," Kenzan agreed, grinning and waving back.

As soon as the door was shut, Haou shuddered. What obnoxious people Juudai lived with! How could he wallow in their shared filth and stand it? How could he even think to be half as barbaric as those buffoons? It really didn't make any sense at all to him, especially at how he was suddenly awake so fast. As of the moment, Juudai was practically skipping down the stairs, literally dragging Haou behind him. He tried to keep his footing, but Juudai was being far too rambunctious. He found himself slipping and sliding. The only thing that kept him from falling over the edge was the railing, which he had to keep clawing at in order to keep some of his balance.

"JUUDAI!!" He barked in a commanding tone, "Slow down! Walk with some DIGNITY! You're behaving like a little girl…"

Juudai slowed down and turned, casting Haou a sheepish grin, his face reddening. "Sorry. I'm just really hungry."

Haou was truly horrified. "Do you really want to act like this all the time? With no reason? Have some manners!"

In response, Juudai walked more carefully to the Osiris dorm cafeteria. He stepped inside, smiling brightly. Inside, there were wooden tables on each side of the room, with a wide aisle separating them. Most of the tables were empty, but there were a few occupied by random students. None of them stuck out to Haou; well, none of them except one. This boy had spiky raven hair and sharp features. He was dressed in a black trench coat and black pants. And he looked as though he were miserable. He glared at Juudai as he approached, his lip curled up slightly. Obviously, he was in a bad mood, and Juudai wasn't helping.

"Good morning, Manjoume!" He greeted cheerfully, "What's up?"

"Sandaa," Manjoume hissed, "And I'd rather be left alone right now…"

"What's wrong?" Juudai asked, looking concerned.

"Let's see, my stomach is killing me, I have a headache, I haven't finished studying, and Rei kept me up all night with her constant barging into _my_ room, bothering me with her insignificant blathering about I don't even care. _That's_ what's wrong with me."

"Oh…I'm sorry," Juudai said, looking sympathetic. Then, looking down at his food, he asked quietly, "Are you going to eat that?"

Haou was disgusted at the rude question. He glared at Juudai and opened his mouth to reprimand him. But Manjoume beat him to it.

"Of _course_ I was going to eat it!" He snapped, "Just give me a few minutes. Get your own food." He sighed heavily, propping his chin on his hand and looking exhausted. Gazing up at Haou, his interest pricked. A small smirk came to his face, the wheels in his head obviously turning. His smirk widened and he looked sly as he asked Juudai, "Who's he? Your twin?"

"No," Juudai said, shaking his head, "His name's Haou. I don't know who he is…"

Haou whirled around to face Juudai. Now this was just ridiculous. He'd given the boy plenty of time to think about it. He'd given him a chance to remember him. And he _still_ didn't recognize him? Seriously, how could Juudai not recognize half of his own soul? Was he really that dense? Something had to be done.

Of course, then too, Haou figured that Juudai had forgotten on purpose. He wracked his brain as he tried to recall what exactly had happened. As much as he hated to admit it, his memory was a bit blurry as well, containing thousands of years of information and all. Perhaps if he jogged Juudai's memory…

"Juudai," He hissed, grabbing his arm, "We need to have a little talk outside."

"Can it wait?" Juudai asked, eyeing his breakfast hungrily, "I'm starving…"

Haou felt himself about to explode with anger. He clenched his fists and his teeth, his face turning a dark shade of red. Finally, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, reminding himself that he had to be gentler with Juudai than he'd like to be. "Fine." He sat down next to the other boy, seething.

Juudai took a few bites of food, then looked over at Haou. Ever so innocently, he slid a tray of food towards him. "Want some?" He blinked, his chocolate eyes shining in the sunlight.

Haou muttered a small word of gratitude and took the tray. He sat up straight and ate with impeccable table manners. Juudai, on the other hand, simply ate however he pleased. It almost seemed as though he were _inhaling_ his meal rather than carefully chewing and swallowing it. Haou was less than impressed.

"Slow down," He reprimanded, "That looks disgusting. Make a good example of yourself. And don't you dare choke on that!"

"You don't have to act like my mother," Juudai commented, rolling his eyes. But there was the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

Haou narrowed his eyes dangerously. "I suggest you watch what you say."

Glancing nervously over at him, Juudai nodded. "All right…you don't have to be so upset about it. I was just kidding."

An uncomfortable silence followed.

Haou soon became aware that the boy sitting across from him--Manjoume, he remembered--was staring ever so slightly at him. As much as he tried to ignore it, he found it difficult with those charcoal eyes looking him up and down, making judgments about him. He began to realize that Manjoume was curious about him…and somewhat awed by his presence. Perhaps he could observe this boy and maybe use him later in some matter. His thoughts were soon interrupted once again, though, by a certain Osiris student sitting next to him.

"So…you don't talk much…" Juudai finally said, desperate to start a new conversation.

Haou didn't even look over at him. "I find that too much talk is a waste of time, and an exhibit of inner weakness. Silence is golden, Juudai. I suggest you learn how to practice that discipline."

Juudai swallowed hard. "Ok…so…uh…where do you live?"

Before Haou could respond with the angry comeback he had ready, the door opened, and two figures walked in.

"Good morning," came a soft, semi-feminine voice.

Juudai turned around to greet the newcomer. "Johan! I didn't expect to see you here." He grinned up at the teal haired boy, a slight blush gracing his cheeks.

Haou grimaced at this expression. He, being part of Juudai's soul, had ample access to the boy's feelings. And he didn't like that Juudai felt so close to Johan. Not to mention he sensed a slight attraction between them. It was nothing too deep on Juudai's half, but it still disturbed him greatly. Looking over at Johan again, he observed that the teal haired boy seemed to gravitate more to Juudai than Juudai did to him. His emerald eyes sparkled as he gazed at Juudai, a soft smile on his lips. It was obvious he cared more for Juudai than anything else in the world. One might even say from a casual glance that he was in love with the other boy.

Before he could observe them any closer, a tall, blonde girl standing next to Johan spoke up. "You forgot to say hi to me," She teased, smiling at Juudai.

"Oh, sorry, Asuka." Juudai said, blushing in embarrassment, "Hi."

Haou looked the newcomer up and down. He grimaced, watching her interact with Juudai. It was obvious that she had feelings for the Osiris student as much as Johan did. Juudai, however, remained oblivious to her affections, which rather pleased the king.

What didn't please him, though, was the fact that these two newcomers joined them for breakfast and engaged Juudai in a conversation. It seemed as though Juudai had forgotten that Haou wanted to talk to him. Even after they finished eating, they continued to talk about things which held no interest or pertinence to Haou. What was worse, Kenzan and Sho joined them soon after. All their voices blending together gave him a rather splitting headache. He was certainly out of his element. There was nothing he could do to stop them. He had no means of killing them, no means of even _threatening _them. Finally, he stood to leave. If he couldn't get them to be quiet, at least he could remove himself from the premise.

"Hey, Haou, where are you going?" Juudai asked, looking up with innocent eyes.

Haou took a deep breath and let it out slowly, gritting his teeth. "Juudai…" He seethed, "You forgot…AGAIN."

"What do you mean?" Juudai asked, perching himself on the edge of his seat, blinking cluelessly. His hair flopped in his eyes, making him look absolutely adorable. Haou, however, ignored this.

"I said I wanted to talk to you ALONE." He snapped, glaring with dangerously slitted golden eyes. "I suggest you come at once, before I lose my temper."

Something about his commanding tone combined with this deadly look caused Juudai to move into action. Nervously, he jumped to his feet and brushed past his friends, apologizing slightly for having to leave so soon. Avoiding Haou's glower, he hurried out the door, shutting it behind him.

Haou turned to face him, his arms crossed, still scowling. After a moment, he said, "You idiot! You don't even know…" He paused momentarily, wondering if he should go about it that way. Looking down at Juudai's widened eyes and seeing him looking surprised and uncomfortable, he wondered if he should continue shouting at him or to be gentler. His anger, however, won him over. "You don't even know who I am!"

Juudai blinked and looked up at his angry face. "How could I? We've never met…"

"Juudai!" Haou snarled, shoving him against the wall, his eyes almost glowing, "Look at me. You _know_ who I am. You just don't want to admit it. You're denying it. If you don't come out of that petty little 'innocent' act right now, I'm going to slap some sense into you. And I promise you, it won't be pleasant either." He pinned him harder against the wall, his fingers digging into the brunette's shoulders.

Juudai swallowed hard, breaking out into a nervous sweat. He could not tear his eyes from Haou's, however much he wanted to. "I d-don't know…"

"LOOK AT ME!!" Haou screamed, "Look at me then tell me who I am!!" His eyes searched Juudai's, going deeper than the surface until he was searching his mind. "You know who I am…Don't play dumb."

Wincing a little, Juudai looked up at Haou with fear in his eyes. They stared at each other for a long time, their eyes locked. Juudai finally shook his head, his breaths coming in tiny gasps. Slowly, Haou realized that Juudai wasn't trying to deny it. He _couldn't_ remember it. And he couldn't remember it himself that well either. He wondered if perhaps he was wrong and had had a dream about them interacting when Juudai was younger…His rage cooled as he gazed down at the brunette, who was trembling slightly. Haou gradually released him and stepped back to look him up and down. At the same time, Juudai began to calm himself and regain his composure. Haou's outburst had been quite an unexpected shock, after all.

Before either of them could say anything more, the door to the cafeteria slid open and Johan stepped out. He looked from Haou to Juudai, worry creasing his brow. "Is everything all right? I thought I heard shouting."

"Everything's fine," Haou told him calmly, turning his back and beginning to walk away.

Juudai looked at Johan helplessly. Shrugging, he followed Haou, wanting to clear the matter up. On the other hand, Haou simply wanted some peace and quiet to think about what should be done. He couldn't very well do that with Juudai following at his heels like a forlorn puppy. Why did Juudai care that much anyway?

Whirling around, he glared at Juudai. "What do you want?!"

"I just don't know what you want…" Juudai told him, looking mournful, "There's something wrong and I want to fix it." Genuine concern was etched across the young boy's face as he stared up at Haou.

Haou's scowl deepened. He refused to respond, merely waved Juudai off and kept walking. Juudai would have persisted; however, Johan came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"I think he wants to be left alone," Johan said softly.

Juudai nodded slightly, watching Haou storm off. He couldn't take his eyes off of the figure until he'd disappeared into the trees, out of sight.

* * *

Haou kept his distance from the rest of the student population until nearly eight o' clock. He was sitting by the beach, watching the waves ebb in and out. It was quite nice there, actually. Since it was early, no one was out on the shore, and he could sit quietly by himself. Most of the time, however, he spent in discomfort. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake his disappointment in Juudai. He could make something of himself if he really tried. But instead, he had to act all cute and clueless for everyone. Perhaps he wanted to be loved? Was he really that afraid of being lonely? Was he really so afraid to show his intelligent, serious side for fear of becoming ostracized? Well, if that were the case, then he needed to overcome that fear. Fear couldn't rule his life forever.

Part of him felt slightly guilty, however. As much as he tried to push it down, it kept raising its ugly head and taunting him mercilessly. He knew that Juudai had no idea what he was doing. He knew Juudai had good reason to act the way he did, so careless and cheerful, especially having been so lonely and isolated in the past. After all, his parents had hardly been home in the daytime and Yubel had chased all his potential friends away. Not to mention he had been harsh himself. He had to admit, if he had been in a similar situation, with an unwanted soul living off in the recesses of _his_ mind, entwined with his own soul, he would've done the same thing and forgotten. But not out of fear. More or less out of disgust. Perhaps he could dismiss Juudai's mistake. After all, he did have a lot to learn. He was only a mere child. At least, his attitude held him back from reaching his full potential. It almost made Haou sick to think about what Juudai could accomplish if he would just try. Well, that's why he was there, he supposed. To make the most use of the talents Juudai possessed. For his own benefit of course.

At that moment, he heard a quiet voice mutter his name. Turning, he saw Johan standing behind him, looking somewhat disturbed. It was apparent that the Gem Beast duelist sensed his aura of control and darkness. "Um…it's almost time for class…"

Haou sighed heavily. "Very well."

"Um…" Johan looked uncomfortable and he rubbed the back of his head, "Juudai really wanted to talk to you, too."

"What more is there to discuss with him?" Haou asked bitterly, "I thought we'd already dropped the matter."

"Well, apparently, he doesn't think so…" Johan replied.

Haou cursed under his breath as he brushed past Johan. Their eyes locked momentarily as Haou walked past him. He sent Johan an icy glare, warning him not to get too close. For some reason, he felt especially bitter towards the teal-haired boy, though he wasn't exactly sure why. Johan looked puzzled, but didn't say anything. Haou simply ignored him and made his way back to the main building.

* * *

A few days passed uneventfully. Haou found the classes to be monotonous and completely useless. Personally, he was disgusted with the students' lack of knowledge. If they seriously needed teachers to give them this sort of information, then they must have learning disabilities. The subjects came easy to him, and he found he was more than capable of making high marks without even paying attention. Though, he did pay attention to set an example for Juudai.

As for Juudai, he hadn't been talking much to Haou. He figured it might have had something to do with his angry confrontation and the way he constantly pushed the other boy away. Or perhaps Juudai sensed his need to be left completely alone. After hours of isolation, however, he began to feel lonely again. Part of him wanted to clear things up with Juudai so they could accomplish something. Part of him wanted to steer clear of the boy, since he was so annoyingly cheerful and optimistic. Haou could not stand this part of Juudai's personality. However, the potential he possessed made him almost giddy with avarice. He would do anything to get hold of Juudai's power. If only he could find a way to manipulate him…

First, however, he would have to get Juudai talking to him again, which wouldn't be easy. He had to be careful. He had to get the Osiris student to trust him before he tried anything risky. But to win Juudai's trust, he had to be kind to him. Or at least be mellower than he wanted to be. He mustn't be cold or bitter. Perhaps he should be gentler towards him for a few days and ease into it. Perhaps it would benefit him in the end if he took the time to listen to Juudai and lay low. Once he had the opportune moment…that would be the time to strike.

Deciding that it would be a good idea for some small talk in order to make him comfortable, Haou walked off to find him. As he came close to the cliff where Juudai liked to sit, he noticed two figures, rather than one. Raising an eyebrow, he stopped to watch from the bushes. Juudai was there all right, but so was Johan, which made Haou suspicious. He narrowed his golden eyes at the transfer student. Of all the times for him to cause trouble, this was probably the worst. Haou decided that he wanted Johan out of the way. Simply because the boy was keeping him from accomplishing his main goal: to conquer Juudai's world. Nevertheless, he stood back and watched.

"Oh, Johan," Juudai sighed, propping his chin in his hands, "I feel really bad. Haou really seemed upset at me for not remembering him…but I've never met him! How could I know him? He seems to have dropped it for now but…it still bothers me. Do you think he mistakes me for someone else?"

"I don't know. But I think he understands his blunder now and won't do that again," Johan told him reassuringly, placing a hand on his shoulder, "It's all right. I think he gets it now. Maybe he's just embarrassed? But I do worry about him…he seems so…dark. I'd rather you didn't spend a lot of time around him. I worry about you a lot. I get the strange feeling that he's dangerous. Please promise me that you won't do anything rash."

Juudai sighed heavily. "Don't worry about me," He told the other boy, smiling a little, "I'll be just fine. You worry way too much. And although he does seem a little…um…dark…that doesn't mean he's exactly horrible. I mean, he does scare me a bit…and I have this feeling like I shouldn't trust him. But we don't really know anything about him."

"Exactly!" Johan argued, "You don't know anything about him so you should keep your guard up. I'd suggest not being alone with him. And don't I have reason to worry about my dearest Juudai? You do tend to have a way with finding trouble."

Blushing a little, Juudai smiled wanly. "Yeah, that is true…I do tend to attract psychos. But I'm sure he's not this type of person. I can just feel that he's more stable mentally…though something about that seems kind of…unsettling."

"That's right," Johan told him, patting him on the back as though to assure him, "Something's just not right about the guy."

Juudai looked up uncertainly. "I don't know…he just seems like he wouldn't be a crazy type. He just seems…quiet…but sort of angry too. He has a temper, yeah, but…so does Manjoume. Ah well. At least you care about me. Thanks for looking out for me, but I can handle myself."

"Well…all right," Johan smiled a little at him, though doubt lingered in his sea green eyes. He looked thoughtful, then slung an arm around his shoulders. "Well, I have to look out for you. I mean, what are friends for?"

They sat silently for a few minutes, their arms around each others' shoulders. Haou frowned deeply. Why would Johan try to talk Juudai into avoiding him? Was he really that afraid of him? Did he view Haou as much of a threat to his goal as Haou did of him? It didn't matter, really. What mattered was that he _had_ talked behind his back. It made Haou want to leap on him right then and punish him. Not to mention the boy was now practically slobbering all over Juudai. What made him so special as to be allowed this kind of contact? What made Juudai believe that he could talk to Johan about anything anyway? He and Juudai were two halves of the same soul! How much closer could one get? So why couldn't he talk to him like that? This was what infuriated the king so much. Juudai didn't trust him like he had. He never consulted with him, never asked him for help anymore. Not like he remembered him. Rather, he relied on his own strength and ended up in all sorts of complicated messes that could be solved relatively easily. It was much more practical to simply _kill_ the offender and never have to worry about backsliding. Juudai's method was no long term problem solver. And his "friends" couldn't very well help him either.

Wrinkling his nose in disgust, Haou thought that it would be much easier and much more practical if the boy just came to him with his concerns and fears instead of going to a third party who wasn't going to do anything about it. Well, he wouldn't have done anything except tell Juudai to get over it anyway but…he still wished that Juudai had come to him instead. Even if Juudai thought that they hadn't know each other that long. Couldn't he at least sense there was a bond there?

As much as he hated to admit it, he was somewhat hurt by Juudai's actions. He wasn't sure why it bothered him so much. Perhaps it was just because Juudai was supposed to be the one closest to him, yet he was treating him like this…so distantly and not even knowing that he should treat him any differently. The fact that Juudai had forgotten him also bothered him. Did he want nothing to do with him? Why was he so reluctant to talk to him? Perhaps it was better that Juudai didn't know who he was. He might be able to gain the boy's trust now. If only he hadn't yelled at him like that…He silently reprimanded himself for not keeping his mouth shut. Now he would not be able to use Juudai as a tool. Unless he found a way to dismiss his prior behavior and win Juudai's trust back.

Tearing himself from his thoughts, he looked back over at Johan and Juudai. At the moment, Juudai had his head on Johan's shoulder and they were watching the sunset. Haou clenched his fists. When would Johan ever leave? He had things to discuss with Juudai. And what was the meaning of this display? He sure hoped that they wouldn't start kissing or anything. He didn't want his mind to be filled with the image of such a despicable scene! Love was useless. They had better things to do, such as help him conquer the world and obey his every command. After all, everyone was entitled to be under his power.

His eyes widened as Johan leaned over, brushing some hair out of Juudai's eyes and planted a small kiss on the side of his head, then down to his cheek. Juudai leaned against Johan's chest, looking up at his face. Johan leaned closer to the other boy to kiss him on the lips, his eyes closing. This was too much. Haou would not allow Juudai to stoop down to such a pathetic level. Juudai could be doing better things than wasting his time with this, this _peasant_.

He stepped out from behind the bushes boldly, then said rather loudly, "Juudai! Come here."

Juudai jumped, blushing and sitting up straight. He sent Haou a sideways glare of contempt. "Would you mind?"

"Don't talk to me like that," Haou ordered, "Now come with me."

Sullenly, Juudai stood up and stretched. He murmured an apology to Johan, then followed Haou down the path. By then, it was dark outside and the first stars were peeking out. It would have been a nice night had there not been so much tension between them. In fact, the silence was suffocating. He knew that Juudai resented what he'd done and was angry with him. But he didn't care. Juudai needed to learn to behave properly, and more dignified than that. Of course, he was disgusted with the whole deal. He'd express his disapproval and command the other boy never to do such a thing again. And Juudai would be forced to heed him, or else.

Finally, Haou stopped and turned to look at Juudai, his yellow eyes glowing unnaturally in the night. His icy look caused the other boy to tremble slightly in fear, causing him to drop his contempt.

"Look," Juudai said, sighing, "I don't know who you think you are…but that was really rude. And kind of embarrassing too." His cheeks flushed with red and he avoided Haou's bitter gaze. "If it's important though…"

Haou looked down his nose at the other. "Well, for one thing, I expect you to behave. And what you did back there was completely uncalled for. You have much better things to do. You have so much potential, you just need training. And I intend to teach you whether you like it or not. So you'd better pay attention. It doesn't matter whether or not I was rude. The fact is that you don't act like that where others can see you. And you don't want to make a rash decision. That boy, Johan, he cares much more for you than you do for him. Even a fool could see that. So don't do it out of pity. That would be ridiculous."

Juudai stared up at him, looking peeved. "Who's to say that I did it out of pity?" He argued, clenching his fists, a little, "And what do you mean teach me? I'm just trying to have fun, so chill."

Haou gritted his teeth, anger flowing through his veins. "How dare you speak to me in such a disrespectful manner!" He snapped, "You'll never learn if you resist so much. I could make so much out of you if you'd only cooperate!"

"What do you mean?" Juudai asked, trying to act as though he were bored, though it was obvious his interest had been pricked.

"I could make such a strong duelist of you," Haou growled in response, choosing his words carefully, "You could duel all you wanted. Is it really that hard?!"

Juudai perked up. "Well, I don't know but…" He looked thoughtful. "I'd really like to do this on my own but…if you're good and you want to help me and I get to duel, then hey, I don't think I could turn it down….still…" He seemed hesitant.

Haou said nothing, only patted him on the head a little. If he really wanted Juudai to work under him, he'd have to be more subtle about it. He decided to gradually work his teaching and training into Juudai's everyday life without the other boy even noticing. He would get Juudai to obey him and follow his command. After a moment, he beckoned for Juudai to follow him. "You'd better get to bed. We're getting up early tomorrow. And…" He threw a glance over his shoulder, "Don't waste so much time with that boy, do you hear me?"

Juudai did not respond. He stiffened, though, at Haou's command. It was obvious that he hated being told what to do by a "peer." Haou knew, however, that Juudai would not be able to keep away from Johan for long. As much as he hated to think about it, he knew that the Osiris student could not tear away from someone he'd grown so close to. How then, had Juudai been able to tear away from him? It really bothered him. He had to get to the bottom of this, and soon. Otherwise, he might lose an important asset. Otherwise, he might lose an important part of himself.

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**A/N: Bleh. That was possibly the worst thing I've written in awhile. I'm sorry the ending sucked…I ran out of inspiration there at the end…but I have plenty for the next chapter. How come that ALWAYS happens? I don't understand myself. I'm sorry it's going downhill….I think I feel insecure about the character interaction and the dialogue…Well, I suppose next chapter will start on some more soul searching, more action, and more danger…yeah…**


	5. Chapter 5: Deathbelts

**A/N: **_**IMPORTANT NOTE READ OR BE CONFUSED AND LOST!!**_** Ok, I REALLY hated how Juudai recognized Haou so fast. I didn't mean for it to be going that quickly. So, I revised last chapter. Instead, Haou just yelled at him until he realized Juudai DIDN'T know who he was. And Johan expressed concern to Juudai about how he didn't want Juudai near Haou since he seemed dangerous. I have a plan for the future involving some foreshadowing from chapter one, and that screwed it up. So that's the low down. **

**Well, this fic has been going somewhat in the direction I'd like it to go. I had a plan for it, but there's always room for more ideas. And Mazeru Okinata gave me an excellent one to add to the plot as well as helped me come up with what to do with my screw up. Thanks, girl! : P I will say though…I really don't trust myself too much when it comes to anything. I feel really insecure about this chapter. ; **

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Disclaimer: I do not own GX.

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Chapter 5: Deathbelts

It was around 4 o' clock in the afternoon. Classes had only been over for about half an hour, but students were still lingering around the halls. At that moment, Haou was in the library on the third floor of the school, wrinkling his nose in distaste at the 'scanty' collection of books. He deemed most of them as being completely useless. Truly, were the youth that time so ignorant? Disgusted, he shook his head and continued his walk through the aisles, searching for something with a little bit of substance. He had to find some way to aid his main goal: to make use of the resources in Juudai's world. First, however, he needed more information about it. And where better to find that information than in a library? This, however, soon proved to be futile. He didn't even know where to start. Most of the books were about dueling anyway. Well, it figured since they _did_ attend a dueling school.

He finally surrendered for the time being and sat down at a nearby table to complete that day's trivial task called 'homework.' Now, he was more than accustomed to work, and he was also familiar with the concept of self teaching. After all, when he'd been a mere lad, he'd had lessons. He did find much use in 'homework,' he just didn't find any use in it for himself since he already understood what was going on. He did know, though, that he must complete it since it was required of him.

As he filled out the answers, he frowned. How ridiculously easy! Why, it was mere child's play, actually! Really, did their society believe they were exercising the full potential of a youth's mind? He thought not.

Just as he'd finished with his worksheets, he felt a presence behind him. A moment later, a shadow fell across the desk. Doing his best to ignore it, he picked up a book he'd taken off a shelf and began to flip through it curiously. Whoever was behind him leaned over his shoulder in a most obnoxious manner. Exasperated, he heaved a heavy sigh. Judging by the familiar aura oozing off of the person's soul, he discerned that the person was, indeed, none other than Juudai. And knowing Juudai, he wouldn't leave until Haou acknowledged his existence. Well, he might as well, seeing that Juudai had more worth than the peasants that surrounded them. Besides, he had been waiting forever for Juudai to _finally_ come to him for something.

"What do you want?" He asked quietly, his golden eyes sliding in the other boy's direction.

"Oh, Professor Cobra asked that you see him immediately," Juudai explained in a loud whisper, "He says it's important."

Haou raised an eyebrow skeptically. He was more than slightly disappointed that this was all Juudai had to say to him. "Very well." He sighed, standing. First, he placed the book back on the shelf that he'd discovered it. There was no need to leave an unnecessary mess.

He followed Juudai out the double doors and then down the hall a ways. Neither of them said anything for awhile; they did not need to. The silence was not uncomfortable; Haou was actually rather grateful for it. He didn't particularly wish to hear Juudai's incessant prattling. Not at the moment anyway. Perhaps later he'd listen. But as of the moment, he was somewhat discomforted by the sudden request. It wasn't that he had anything to fear--although he was careful all the same since he lacked the same power he'd attained in Dark World. He simply did not want to cause any trouble for the time being. And from what he'd heard, Professor Cobra wasn't exactly the type that a person wanted to see one-on-one. This could prove to be dangerous to his goals and to his existence in general. He must remember to keep his guard up.

They stopped at a metal door. Juudai turned to Haou, smiling wanly and looking somewhat nervous. Scratching his head a bit, he told him, "You should be careful. Professor Cobra's not exactly the humorous type. I don't know why he wants to see you, but--"

"I can handle it," Haou interrupted before Juudai could launch himself into a ceaseless babble-fest, "Now, be quiet."

"Um, Ok…" Juudai muttered, smiling again, "I'll wait for you. Just call me if you need anything."

Haou merely gave a curt nod to indicate that he'd heard Juudai. Then, he turned and walked through the door, his shoulders squared. The other students might be intimidated by this man, but he sure wouldn't be. He would simply respect him for his power and his danger. That was all he had to do.

Looking around, he found himself in a small office. The blinds were slanted partially shut, so that what little light that filtered through them cast eerie shadows on the rest of the room. To his left was a large chest of some sort. To his right was a bookcase. And then, right in front of the large window was a small desk and chair. Behind the desk was a muscular, tall man with dark hair, who was standing with his back to Haou. The king stepped forward a bit more and cleared his throat.

"You requested my presence, sir." He said respectfully, but not submissively in the least. Rather, he conducted himself as one who had authority.

The man turned, revealing charcoal colored eyes which burned with malice and deceit. His features were sharp, square, and hardened; his face was tanned and cold. Compared to Haou's delicate features and smaller proportions, the other man was a monster. Haou began to see why others might fear him; however, he remained calm. The professor might seem as a threat, yet he was little more than a bump in the road; an obstacle that must be overcame. Haou knew he could defeat him easily. He was much stronger than he looked.

"Yes, I did." The man's voice was deep and low as he spoke. His gaze remained steady on Haou, warning him. Haou only gazed back without flinching. "There's something that students at this establishment are required to have. You do not have it…yet."

Haou said nothing, only waited for Professor Cobra to continue. A deep frown creased his brow, however. He did not like how he was being addressed.

The professor reached under his desk and pulled out a silver case. He opened it, then took out a metal wristband, which had a sapphire colored stone set near the top. "Hold out your right hand," He said in a commanding tone.

Haou hated being ordered to do anything, especially when he didn't know why. Looking even more suspicious, he queried, "What _is _that thing?"

"Why, this, my boy, is simply to monitor that you participate in a duel each day," Professor Cobra told him, a harsh smirk tugging the corners of his mouth upwards, "That is the rule here. You must duel each day. And we have to make sure you follow your instructions."

Haou did not believe him. This man obviously could not be trusted. However, he was in no position to protest. He had no choice. No matter how much he wanted to resist, his best bet was to simply adhere to the requirements and calmly comply. That didn't mean, though, that he was going to let his guard down. There was an obvious reason to distrust this man. He was up to no good. Haou could sense the strong desire for power in him…and strong pain. This man was hiding something. He was bitter for some reason, and was after power in order to ease his pain. What exactly caused his pain, Haou did not know.

In the end, Haou surrendered his wrist to the professor. Professor Cobra seized his pale hand in his calloused one, gripping it tightly and painfully so. It was apparent that he sensed Haou's calm and wanted to strike fear in him. Or, at the very least, show him who was in charge. Haou, however, did not give him the pleasure of seeing him wince. He had no urge to wince anyway. He'd been through far worse pain. In comparison, this was mere child's play. Instead, he stared the professor down with icy amber eyes. His gaze remained steady as Professor Cobra snapped the iron band around his thin wrist, then locked it. With a wry, sadistic smirk, he practically slapped the king's hand away.

"Now be gone," He commanded, his brow furrowing, "I have better things to do than mess with Osiris slime."

Haou stiffened, however, did not object. He would show that cocky professor, once he had the power and the position. Turning on his heel, he kept his chin raised slightly as a king should, and exited.

As the doors shut behind him, he looked to see Juudai leaning against the wall and waiting for him. He grinned weakly, seeing Haou had emerged fully intact.

"So, what'd he want?" He asked, placing his hands behind his head and stretching a bit as they walked down the hall.

Haou snorted under his breath, then told him bluntly, "He said I was required to wear one of these ridiculous bracelets. He claimed that it's to monitor my dueling activity. Fat chance at that! He's up to no good…keeping us under constant surveillance and the whatnot. Juudai," He stopped in the middle of the hall and turned to face his companion.

Juudai blinked, his chocolate eyes sparkling a little. "What?" He rubbed the back of his hair slightly.

Haou sighed and crossed his arms. Then, after a moment's thought, he grasped Juudai firmly by the shoulders and stared into his eyes. Gasping a little, Juudai backed away from the cold golden gaze.

"Juudai," Haou said his name again, as though he had not emphasized the fact he was addressing the Osiris student. His grip tightened, his fingers digging into the other boy's jacket. "I don't want you to get too close to that man. Don't trust anything he says. He has a strange…a very strong…lust for power. And he's willing to do and sacrifice anything for it, even the students' welfare and lives. Don't ask me how I know…because you should know it too. You all are so foolish for turning a blind eye to it; it's so obvious. Is your society really full of so many dense individuals now? Well, all I ask of you is that you don't listen to a word he says. You stay away from him."

As much as he hated to admit it, he didn't just tell Juudai this so he could save his power for himself. No, Juudai's use wasn't his only concern. Neither was the fact that their souls were entwined into one. He truly worried about Juudai's welfare and wanted to protect him from this man. Especially since Professor Cobra reminded him of…himself…just to a lesser degree. Only he, though, was entitled to Juudai's energy. If Professor Cobra wanted to hurt him…he'd have to get through _him_ first. He would protect Juudai if Juudai couldn't protect himself.

In the meantime, Juudai was staring into Haou's eyes, looking as though he felt very strange about this. Finally, he smiled a little bit and gave a nervous laugh. "All right, all right. I knew something was wrong about him, so you don't have to worry. I'm not that stupid. You're almost as bad as Johan."

Haou refused to respond to this comment. Finally, he released Juudai and turned his back. Juudai fell in step beside him. Neither of them said anything for a long time as they made their way around the school. Eventually, Juudai caught his shoulder.

"Haou."

The king stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "What is it?"

"Where are we going?" Juudai blinked, grinning a little.

Haou looked around the hall, realizing he didn't really know. Usually, he had a reason for doing everything. But this…seemed pointless. It seemed…useless. Unless Juudai wanted to talk. Then he could stretch his legs a bit while Juudai talked to him. Sighing, he finally replied, embarrassed to admit. "I have no direction."

"You seem distracted," Juudai pointed out, his hand still on Haou's shoulder. "You've seemed kind of down lately too…Need to talk?"

Haou wasn't sure how to react. Even though his expressions and actions hadn't given away how he ached, he knew that Juudai could feel it. He couldn't help but feel it. Glancing around the hall, he finally kept walking, though he let Juudai tag along. He took a moment before responding. "I'd like to talk."

"So, what's bothering you?" Juudai leaned a little on his shoulder, as a show of concern and support.

Haou was not used to such things. He stiffened under Juudai's arm, but didn't move it. It was nice for a change to have someone care about him so much, even after he'd scared him. Part of him wanted to say something about what he'd said, yet part of him was too ashamed and disgusted at the mistake to bring it up. But he had to say something. Juudai was his other half…his Hikari so to speak. He should say something in explanation.

"Well," Haou began slowly, "I've been thinking about how I yelled at you…"

Juudai just nodded. "Hey, don't worry about that. You know it's all right."

"I overstepped the boundaries," Haou continued, his eyes now on the ground as he frowned in thought. For some reason, he found it hard to meet Juudai's gaze. "You probably know more than anybody by now…when I get angry, I lose it. It's not something I'm exactly proud of. I shouldn't have said what I did…" He felt as though he had a right to scold Juudai, perhaps even abuse him. The only reason he was really admitting this was because it was hard for him to do. It was a reminder for him to not say things so impulsively and rashly without pondering them first.

"It's Ok," Juudai assured him, smiling, "We all screw up."

Haou stiffened. He hated to talk about his mistake. It made him so uncomfortable. And he was used to being regarded as perpetually correct. It certainly wasn't easy for him to admit a small mistake like this. If he'd made a military mistake, however, he would've admitted it. But small folkways like these…he tended to ignore. Not that he ignored etiquette.

"Let's not mention it again," Haou grumbled, looking bitter.

Juudai nodded. "Ok. Is that all?"

"Not really," Haou sighed. It sure was hard for him to continue this conversation. He wasn't one for revealing himself. "I just…was…a little…lonely, that's all."

Juudai sighed. "You and I both know that's the understatement of the century. It's so obvious to me that you're aching deeply. You're so hurt…it hurts me too. I don't like to see my friends in pain." He looked downcast.

Haou grimaced. As much as he wanted to share with Juudai, he just couldn't get past his resistance. He would show no weakness. It was bad enough that Juudai had voiced how he felt deep inside, though he tried very hard to bury it and seal it so that the other boy couldn't get access to it. But he hadn't done it in so long…He'd nearly forgotten how to guard his mind from the brunette. Of course, he knew how to do so from any other prying eyes. But Juudai's soul was different. It was more intricate. And it really didn't help how his soul and Juudai's fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

"I'll be fine," He eventually murmured.

There were so many things he wanted to tell Juudai. So many fragments of memories that he had of him, in the hopes that perhaps the other boy would recall him. However, he knew deep inside that it would take more than a few memories to jog Juudai's memory. Not to mention he could barely remember their interactions from the past…It was as though someone had tried to wipe the incident clean, as though it had never happened. Sometimes, Haou even wondered if the whole thing hadn't been a dream; just a hopeless fantasy of his provoked by extreme loneliness. No one could know how terribly he'd been cut at heart…no one could ever mend it. He was loath to admit it even to himself, much less to Juudai.

However, Juudai was persistent. He grew increasingly worried. "Haou…" He said softly, "Tell me what's wrong. You're in pain…" His eyes searched Haou's, though the king tried desperately not to look at those prying chocolate orbs.

Taking a deep breath, Haou said a bit under his breath, "I'm not in pain. I told you that I'd be all right. And I am. Don't worry about it. Why does it bother you? Why do you think these things?" He turned his head, eventually allowing their eyes to meet.

"I just know," Juudai answered, staring back, "I can just feel it…from deep inside. Almost like I'm feeling it, but I know it's not me…I have to admit though…" He paused and ran his fingers through his choppy brown hair as he shook his head, "I have a strange sense of déjà vu around you. Like I've known you all my life…I'm just comfortable talking to you. Weird, huh?"

Haou was momentarily pleased. Well, as pleased with the situation as he could get. Perhaps Juudai _was_ remembering?

"Then again, I'm sort of like that with everyone," Juudai laughed, "And I had a similar feeling about Johan and I sure didn't know him earlier. So I guess it's nothing. We just have a lot in common…though I'm not really sure _how._"

If Haou were the type to let his expressions and emotions show, his jaw would've dropped in horror. Instead, he merely blinked, staring as calmly and coldly at Juudai as ever. Inside, though, he was seething. How dare he! How dare Juudai make him seem so…so _general_. And how dare Juudai compare him to _Johan_! He almost wanted to smack the clueless brunette across the face. But he didn't. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Disappointments were just another aspect of life that had to be accepted. He had to deal with them all the time; so why was this so incredibly frustrating? He wanted to scream again.

Juudai, noticing Haou's pent up anger, moved his arm and backed away a little. "Hey, don't take it the wrong way," He said, grinning sheepishly. "It's not like you don't mean anything at all to me."

Haou felt a wave of discontent wash over him. Not just a little bit, mind you. His anger mixed with annoyance, frustration, hurt, sadness, loneliness, and neglect. But mostly, he was just angry. His expression remained as bitter as ever, however. He refused to let any of the other emotions seep through. How he hated having emotions! They were the most worthless things in the world! They only hindered him.

Even though he might appear collected, Juudai knew better. A helpless expression came to his face. "Sheesh, what can I do?" He asked, throwing his hands up a little, "You won't tell me what exactly is wrong. I can't tell either…Yet you're mad at me? What do you want?"

Haou had to admit that even he wasn't so sure. All he knew was that he was angry…very, very angry. All he wanted to do was thrust a sword through someone. This whole situation was looking hopeless. He wasn't sure _what_ he was going to do with the brunette. Part of him wanted to beat Juudai. Part of him wanted to just walk away. And part of him...was simply indecisive.

Still seeming upset, Juudai stepped cautiously over to him until he was inches from Haou's face. Wordlessly, he threw his arms around the other boy and hugged him. "See? That's all you needed," He told Haou, squeezing him tightly and closing his eyes, "I'm sorry I made you feel unimportant. Hey, why are you getting so defensive? Easy…"

Juudai was speaking about how Haou was stiffening again, only this time, worse than before. He was trembling in rage; a streak of red appeared across his nose. He really did not take too kindly to being touched, no matter how much he needed it. Even though Juudai seemed sincere enough, he couldn't be sure. If Juudai wanted him to relax, then he'd have to work harder. He didn't relax that easily.

"Calm down," Juudai told him, frowning and squeezing him tighter, "It's all right. Why are you so upset though? Why don't you just give in? It's like you've never been touched before…and don't know what to do…"

"Just let go," Haou snapped, flustered. Well, he supposed it was better than if Juudai had embraced Johan. Still, he did not like these displays. It made them seem so much weaker. It was useless. He did not need it. Finally, he shoved Juudai away--far away. He began to walk off.

Juudai opened his mouth to call for him to come back. However, before he got the chance, Manjoume clamped a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Juudai," He greeted, smirking a little, "Have you dueled yet today?"

Hearing this, Haou stopped and turned his head slightly, just enough to better hear what they were discussing.

"Not yet," Juudai admitted, "I was going to look for an opponent later though."

"Look no farther," Manjoume insisted, jabbing a finger at himself and looking overly confident of himself, "I'm going to be your next opponent. So what do you say?"

"Well…" He looked in Haou's direction. By then, the king had turned completely around and was watching the two intently. Grinning a little, he finally nodded. "Ok. I'll have to make it quick though, since I was sort of in the middle of something."

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to thrash you quickly enough," He promised, smirking arrogantly, then glancing over at Haou as though he were trying to show off. Haou was less than impressed.

Juudai just grinned, "Let's go to one of the dueling fields. We don't have enough room in the hall. Besides, we don't want to block anyone's path."

Manjoume just nodded and slipped into a nearby room. Juudai followed suit. As Haou was about to go in with them as well, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Hey, where's Juudai going?" Came a soft and semi-feminine voice.

He tensed and turned slowly. And who else was standing there but Johan? He really didn't want to tell him, but he did all the same. After all, he would keep an eye on them, and Johan would only be watching.

"He's about to duel Manjoume in there," Haou replied, pointing to the room. Then, he turned his back to Johan and slipped through the door.

Johan hurried to catch up to him, as he was walking quickly. Haou took the steps, going past the seats and up to the highest platform of the room. Then, he leaned on the railing to watch. Much to his dismay, Johan joined him.

"Hey, can we talk?" Johan asked quietly.

Frowning, Haou refused to meet his hopeful gaze. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to ask if you could stop treating me so coldly…I guess I was wrong to talk about you like that to Juudai, but I was just worried about him. Maybe I was wrong about you. Do you think we could start over? Get to know one another?"

Haou shuddered slightly at the thought. However, as he considered the possibility, he began to find more and more reason to comply. Finally, he nodded slowly. "All right. But I'm going to keep an eye on you as well."

Johan nodded. "That's fair enough," He said, smiling a little and laughing nervously. "Really, I'm sorry. I'm just very protective of my Juudai. He's just so…so…perfect. He's an even better duelist than I am, and he's so friendly and lovable. I'm constantly worried that someone might take him from me. And I just don't want anyone to get between us because he's my best friend. Problem is, he acts like that to everyone. I just can't help but be jealous. But I really am sorry and I need to learn to work on that." Sighing, he placed his crossed his arms over the railing and laid his cheek against them.

Haou merely leaned his chin in the palm of his hand and nodded. "You have to learn to keep your emotions tightly locked away. You have to learn to conform to the way that society expects you to behave, and you can't allow yourself to stir up this, this… 'drama.' It's really disgraceful. Not to mention you should learn not to let other people know how much you want Juudai. It's common sense that if someone shows interest in something, than other people are going to want it even more. And it's obvious that he's more to you than a best friend. You love him."

Johan sucked in his breath sharply. "Wh-What? I mean…How…?"

"It's obvious," Haou repeated, "And he's so dense he doesn't even notice." Closing his eyes, he sighed. Why did he have to waste his time on such senseless small talk? Not to mention part of him suspected that Johan was just trying to figure out what Haou's ambition was. He wanted to know if Haou was after the same thing he was. Or maybe he was trying to figure out if his suspicions about Haou being dangerous were correct. Opening his eyes, he let his golden gaze slide over in Johan's direction, finally meeting his emerald eyes.

"Johan…" He spoke the name in partial disgust.

"Hmm?" The teal haired boy blinked, raising his head from his arms.

"Don't think that you can get in my way," Haou told him, "I have no interest in either your love life or Juudai's. I just want to make sure he understands that there are more important things in life. So don't even try to stop me. Because I'm not after the same thing you are. I could care less." As soon as he'd finished saying this, however, he felt a twinge of jealousy. Quickly, he swallowed it.

Johan's eyes widened. "Well, Ok…" He said helplessly, and a bit relieved, "What exactly do you want with him though?"

Haou raised an eyebrow, his frown deepening. Johan sure was nosy! "That is none of your concern." He replied tersely, turning his attention back to the duel below.

They both leaned over the railing, watching the duel for a few silent moments. So far, Juudai had done well to protect his lifepoints. However, Manjoume soon pulled a combo that caused Juudai to take a major hit to his lifepoints.

Haou opened his mouth to remark about how careless Juudai had been, but before he could, he felt a wave of weakness washing over him. It felt as though his energy were being ripped from his veins. At the same time, Juudai grimaced. However, he didn't seem to be in quite so much pain. Haou set his teeth, clenched the railing, and ignored it. He refused to show any outward signs of pain. It was all he could do to keep himself standing, though. He could only grip the railing tightly, sucking in his breath deeply and quietly.

Before he'd had time to recover, Juudai took another hit to his lifepoints. This was almost too much. He felt his knees shaking, trying to buckle. He forced himself to remain rigid and standing, though he couldn't help but breathe a little heavily from the pain. Gripping the railing until his knuckles turned white, he continued to ignore it and tried to remain calm. The weakness would not subside, however. It seemed as though his energy were being summoned at a constant rate. He kept standing even when black dots clouded his vision. Gritting his teeth, he told himself not to pass out.

The longer the duel went on, the worse he felt. Growing concerned, he began to wonder if he were weaker in spirit since he was in Juudai's world. He wondered if he were having a relapse. But no, it didn't feel like sickness. It felt as if something were trying to destroy him from the inside, by ripping his spirit apart.

Finally, he could stand no longer. Despite his desperate attempts, his legs gave way, and he dropped to his knees, trembling. Johan glanced down at him and quickly knelt by him to assist him. He placed his hands on Haou's shoulders, looking worried.

"What's the matter?" He asked, trying to prop him up.

Haou didn't answer for a moment. He was too busy staring at the wristband. The stone was emitting an eerie amber color, almost the same hue as his eyes. Realization clicked into his mind, and he reprimanded himself for being so foolish.

"Tell…Juudai…to stop…NOW." He seethed through his teeth, his head spinning.

He wondered if the professors there were really trying to kill the students. Why would they drain them of their energy? Was it some sort of endurance test? Was it a sort of punishment for when they took hits to their lifepoints? Then, he remembered that it had been a steady sort of draining. No, it had been there when the duel just started. He might've thought at first it was because of a decrease in lifepoints. But now that he thought deeply about it, he realized that the longer the duel went on, the stronger it had become. It wasn't punishment. The longer the duel went on, the more energy was expended! And since his soul was connected to Juudai's…

"Johan, why do you hesitate?" Haou seethed, "Tell him NOW."

"But I don't understand!" Johan protested, "It is required and--"

"If you care about him, you'll tell him to stop!" Haou commanded. He didn't have enough energy to shout it down to Juudai himself. As of the moment, he could barely hiss it. "He's going to kill himself if he doesn't!"

Looking puzzled, Johan gently set his shoulders down on the floor and stood. He leaned over the railing and yelled, "Juudai!" Although he was trying to appear calm, his concern was apparent. His hands were shaking as he gripped the railing.

Juudai glanced up from his duel. "Johan?" He shook his hair out of his eyes.

"Stop the duel!" He shouted, "Please! Something's wrong…"

Juudai blinked in confusion. "What's going on?"

"Haou says that you're going to die if you don't stop," He said uneasily, "And I think there's something wrong with him. I think he had a relapse…"

Looking worried, Juudai leapt down from the dueling platform. "Sorry, Manjoume," He called over his shoulder, "But I have to see about this."

Manjoume merely shrugged. "Your choice. I was going to win, though. We both know that," He smirked. "You're just a coward."

"This isn't the time!" Johan shouted, scowling, "Manjoume, shame! This is serious!"

"Are you sure he's just not yanking your chain?" Manjoume asked, frowning and raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"He's not the type to do that," Juudai told him, rushing up the steps. He knelt by Haou as well, slightly out of breath from running so fast. "What happened?"

"I'm fine," Haou grumbled, scowling deeply. "But we need to talk about these horrible amulets that they make us wear!"

"What are you talking about?" Juudai asked, frowning in confusion.

Haou held up his wrist, "These things! They're…horrible! They're draining you of your energy. That's why they want you to duel every day. Don't you know that?"

Juudai's eyebrows knitted together in worry and frustration. "Do you really think so?"

"Think?!" He snapped, "It's obvious!" He tried desperately to stand up, but he was far too weak. Cursing under his breath, he thought about how he hated being so helpless. He decided he must still be weak from being so sick and idle. If that were the case, he would have to work harder to gain his strength back. He needed to start training again.

Seeing that he couldn't get up, Johan and Juudai grasped him by the arms and pulled him to his feet. They started to drag him out, but he protested vehemently. Looking at each other, Johan and Juudai shrugged. Johan hooked his arms up under Haou's and Juudai grabbed him by the ankles. Then they carried him out. Haou was more than humiliated. It irritated him to think that he'd been reduced to _this_. He was properly disgusted. How could he have let himself slide so far? This was perfectly ridiculous.

Much to his dismay, they took him to the infirmary and threw him down on the bed. The same red-haired woman from before sat behind the desk, writing something down. She looked up at her visitors, then sighed heavily.

"What seems to be the problem now?" She asked, looking tired.

"He just suddenly collapsed," Johan answered, "We thought maybe he'd had a relapse or something."

She sighed. "Well, it's not impossible. Let me take a look at him."

Haou stiffened. He hated being touched, but he allowed it for the time being. After a little bit of examining, she turned back towards the two boys.

"He'll be all right," She said, smiling a little, "It's not a relapse. He's exhibiting a lot of the same symptoms that most of the students come to me with…only his aren't as severe. Since he's in such good shape, it didn't knock him out in a coma like it did for the others…I suppose if he hadn't been weakened from illness then he wouldn't have collapsed at all."

Haou's attention pricked. "Coma?!" Now he was more suspicious that ever. What good would it do for the teachers to put their students in such a useless state?

Ayukawa-sensei nodded. "But don't worry. You should feel better after a little rest. It happens. Be glad that you're so healthy." She turned back towards her desk.

Haou frowned a bit, then turned to Juudai. "How come you didn't collapse then? You were the one dueling…" He hissed.

Juudai shrugged. "I have no clue…I'm just as puzzled as you are. Are you sure it was the 'amulet?'"

"Of course I am!" He insisted, "The stone changed color…"

Rubbing his chin in thought, Juudai stared up at the ceiling. "That's odd…"

"Accursed thing!" Haou seethed, a wave of anger washing over him. He tried to catch the wristband on the bedpost so he could tear it off. Juudai and Johan just stared as he pulled on it and banged it angrily against the metal frame. He pulled desperately. Panting, he sat still momentarily and watched Ayukawa-sensei closely. He waited until she left the room. Then, he reached discreetly into his jacket and pulled out a knife. Johan and Juudai's eyes widened. He ignored them as he used the blade to pick at the wristband. Seeing this didn't work, he tried to slip the blade between his wrist and the band. This failed as well. His face reddened as he began sawing at the stone viciously. All it did was merely scratch the surface. Furious, he began to saw at his own _hand_ in an attempt to perhaps cut it off and free himself. Juudai grabbed his arm while Johan grabbed the knife. They managed to tear it from his iron grip.

"That's terrible!" Juudai gasped, staring in horror at the gaping wound on the top of his hand, near his wrist.

Haou blinked calmly. "You do what you must," He stated.

"How can you be so calm?!" Johan exclaimed, his voice becoming more high-pitched than before, "You almost cut your own hand off! You're bleeding profusely! And all you can do is say that it's necessary?! You haven't even flinched! Not once!"

"Calm down," Haou told him in a no-nonsense tone, "I've seen worse." Having said this, he shakily stood and barely made his way over to the sink. He cleaned his wound out and wrapped some gauze around it. "There. Are you happy now?"

The two boys nodded, though they were more than disturbed.

"Please don't do that again," Juudai said weakly, "We'll find another way to take it off."

"I sure hope so," Haou grumbled, reluctantly surrendering himself to the bed once more.

Fatigue overpowered him. He didn't feel like arguing anymore. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to start to drift to sleep. He would confront Professor Cobra about it. He would find a way to take the abominable device off. If it didn't kill him first. In the meantime, he'd simply allow sleep to have its way with him. He'd have to deal with the rest later.

As he drifted into a state of unconsciousness, he felt darkness slowly encompassing him, washing over his senses. However, he waved it off as nothing. He was used to such things and he was far too exhausted to deal with it then. Perhaps it was due to his half conscious mind that caused him to compromise his judgment. Little did he know, however, that he was not alone…

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**A/N: Bleh. Not quite as exciting as I'd hoped but…it was still fun to write. The next chapter will involve fragmented flashbacks and the mirrors hopefully...and something that I can't tell you about right now. ;P**


	6. Chapter 6: Broken Mirror

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A/N: Well, um, I'm not too sure how this is going to exactly go…I can't really tell you what I mean, but I'm definitely worried about how I'm going to work this out. :headdesk: It's going to involve MOAR thinking than anything…Ah, well, here goes something…Aw, and I do have one more WARNING SO READ: There will be half of a duel in this chapter. Not a full one. But it's important to plot development blah blah so read it please. If it's riddled with errors…I'm really sorry. I tried my best. And I'll revise it if I'm wrong. DX And no there will not be a duel in every frickin chapter. I don't really plan on writing that many if any more.

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX. I will never own GX. And that really, really sucks for me. **

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Chapter 6: Broken Mirror

It seemed like no time at all when Haou was back on his feet again. The entire time he'd spent resting and regaining his strength had not gone to waste, however. Instead, he'd put his mind to work. He'd been scheming for the past forty-eight hours about how he was going to get those damn amulets off Juudai and himself. His initial thought had been to search out the "highly" acclaimed Chancellor of that institution and demand to know why he had been so foolish. Then, he'd changed his mind. It was apparent--after many hours of careful observation--that the teachers would do nothing to go against Professor Cobra. The Professor was not the type to do anything about it either. However, he was going to have to try.

At the moment, he was on his way to Professor Cobra's office, scowling the entire time. He did not like that someone was taking his energy like that. And he certainly didn't like that Professor Cobra was utilizing HIS resource--in other words, Juudai--and using him for who knew what. Not to mention Juudai could also be used to tap into his own energy. The very thought of it made him grind his teeth in rage.

He stopped and stared at the door for a moment before rapping his knuckles against the metal. The noise echoed briefly. There was a small rustling from inside. Then, a deep voice spoke.

"Come in."

Haou slipped in through the doors, still frowning, just not quite so deeply. He stood stiffly before the Professor, his hands by his sides. The man looked him up and down.

"What do you want?"

Haou held up his right hand. "This," He said in a calm tone, "has proven to be quite a problem. I want you to remove it from my being immediately."

Professor Cobra stared at him seriously for a moment. Then, he burst into laughter. "My boy, what makes you think you're so special to receive favor from me? Oh, no. You will be treated just as the other Osiris scum. You will work hard. And you shall not be excused from your duties so easily."

Haou glowered. "That," He said in a low, dangerous tone, through his teeth, "was not the intent of my request." He paused and stared Professor Cobra down, his amber eyes boring into the other's skull. Slowly, he walked around, circling the man like a shark, all the while sizing him up. "I do not wish to shirk my duties. The only thing that is of concern to me is these wristbands. I've found that they are quite harmful. I want them to be removed from Yuuki Juudai and from me immediately."

Professor Cobra raised an eyebrow. "So, you're too weak to withstand the survival test? You can't learn to strengthen yourself? And instead you come whining to me to make it stop? Boy, you have a lot of learning to do."

Haou narrowed his eyes. How dare that man address him in such a manner! It was all he could do to control himself. Taking a deep breath, he began to rethink his actions. Well, whatever the case, the Professor's excuse was a petty one. He was hiding something. But it was apparent that he was not willing to budge in the least. Haou would have to wait. And in the meantime, he'd try to find a way to release himself from such a curse. But first, he'd see if perhaps there was a way to utilize these amulets and use their power for himself. Perhaps this was the best idea. Before one was to scrap an idea, he should look at it from every angle, after all. So, he decided, for the time being, he would relent.

Taking a few steps back, he merely nodded. "I understand," He murmured, his eyes still locked in a piercing glare, "I shall take my leave now. Good day." Having said that, he turned his back and walked out of the office. Well, it looked as though it really were up to him after all. Perhaps he should go discuss the matter with Juudai…

He turned on his heel, swiftly changing directions. He peered into several classrooms, looking for the brunette. Finally, he crossed his arms and thought. Where could that boy possibly be? Well, judging by his habits, Haou figured he'd probably either be at the duel field or the cafeteria. Those were his two most likely bets. Finally, he decided to check the duel field.

He peered in the room. Sure enough, Juudai was in there. However, he was not dueling. He was sitting in the seats with Johan, eating some snacks. Frowning, Haou stepped into the room, then ascended the steps. He sighed heavily in exasperation when he saw Johan. In response, Johan only grinned weakly and waved. His suspicion was apparent; however, he was trying his best to be on good terms with Haou. At least he was being civil.

"Juudai," He said quietly, beckoning for him to get up, "I need to talk to you. Alone."

Looking puzzled, Juudai put his napkin of food down and stood. "What is it now?"

Haou just kept walking, ignoring the question. Juudai had no choice but to follow him out to the hall. Then, Haou grabbed him by the back of the neck and shoved his face closer, so he could hiss in his ear.

"Let's go somewhere more private. Do you know of any place?"

Juudai seemed uncertain, but merely nodded. He led Haou to a janitor's closet, and yanked him inside. Then, he shut the door.

"Are you sure no one will eavesdrop?" Haou asked skeptically.

"Well, pretty sure," Juudai answered, scratching his head, "Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"These…horrible bracelets," Haou told him, frowning, "They drain you of your energy. You knew that, right?"

Juudai sighed heavily. "Well, it's not really that bad, actually…But…"

Haou leaned against the wall, unsure of how to react. "You mean to tell me…that even though you know these things are harmful…you're going to keep dueling anyway?"

"Well, wouldn't you do it as well in order to get to your goal?" Juudai blinked.

Haou pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "You don't understand. If something can hinder achieving your goal more than helping it, then you don't do it!"

"But I'm pretty sure it can be a good thing too," Juudai persisted, ever the optimist, "It's really helping me build my endurance."

Haou looked at him grimly. There was no way he could explain to Juudai that instead of hurting himself, he was hurting the darker half of his soul instead. Well, he supposed he might as well endure it. Perhaps he could strengthen himself. Perhaps he could find a way to drain Juudai's power with it for his own use. This thought intrigued him. He'd have to study these bracelets, though. There was the small, nagging thought in the back of his mind to be careful, too. He didn't exactly want to hurt Juudai.

The more he thought about it, though, the more he wondered. Seeing as how they were two sides of the same soul, they had a connection--a bond. And, seeing how Haou had grown weak when Juudai had dueled, what if the reverse were true too? Theoretically speaking, it was highly feasible. He'd just have to test it, even if it meant that he'd have to risk hurting Juudai.

Looking back over at the brunette, he sighed and shook his head. There was nothing more to be said. So he might as well just accept the situation and move on. He tried to walk out, but Juudai caught him by the arm.

"Wait."

Haou narrowed his eyes, irritated. "What do you want?"

"Do you want to join me and Johan?" He blinked, looking hopeful.

"Johan and me" Haou corrected, looking disgusted, "And why would I want to do such a useless thing?"

Juudai shrugged. "I was just hoping to get to know you a little better."

Haou raised an eyebrow. So Juudai wanted to get to know him, then? This was sudden. But, if that meant he'd get to spend some time observing Juudai and Johan, then perhaps it was worth it. That way, maybe they wouldn't get too close. And, perhaps he could cure himself of the horrible loneliness that had accumulated from being alone for years. Finally, he gave a curt nod and followed the brunette back to the duel field. He wondered why they were there anyway.

Johan looked quite disappointed when he saw Juudai re-enter with Haou. His countenance fell, and he seemed slightly resentful. Obviously, he'd been having some private time with Juudai. Haou ignored the envious glance he was sent as he seated himself as comfortably as the plastic seating would allow.

For an awkward moment, nothing was said. Haou stared at Johan, who stared right back. Whereas Johan was forcing a smile, Haou's expression remained cold and indifferent. He just wasn't interested in the boy's obvious annoyance. Finally, Juudai broke the silence, as he was completely oblivious to the tension.

"So…what do you guys want to do?"

Johan turned his attention back to Juudai. "Well, I was thinking maybe we could have a few duels…"

Juudai smiled. "I'd--"

"Rather _you_ did not," Haou interrupted, glaring slightly. He was not in the least ready to wind up in the infirmary again. However, at the same time, he wanted to flex his skills and show Johan who was in charge. He figured it would be beneficial to at least try; he had to test his theory anyway. Standing, he seized Juudai's duel disk. "Johan."

The teal haired boy looked up at him, a bit surprised. "Yeah?"

"I'd rather Juudai didn't duel you because I want to duel you." His gaze remained cool and steady on the boy. Then, beckoning for him to follow, he made his way down to the duel field.

"Well, I don't know," Johan said uneasily, picking his duel disk up off the floor, "But I never back down…So I'll accept your challenge." He stood as well and followed Haou.

Juudai watched them, shaking his head. He wasn't sure what Haou had in mind, but he didn't like the way he was staring Johan down. Haou's expression remained hardened; however, in his eyes lingered a certain amount bloodthirsty cruelty. His very body language conveyed his disliking of the other boy. It seemed almost as though Haou were trying to dominate Johan.

However, at the same time, there was an unfamiliar aura that Haou gave off…a different one than his lust for power. There was something inside that was eating away at his soul constantly, some sort of noxious emotion or memory that refused to be silenced. His perpetual torment was evident. Something was hurting him deeply inside. Juudai supposed that Haou could be transferring his hurt to others. Perhaps that was why he behaved so coldly. After all, it had been true for Manjoume.

Haou watched as Johan hopped up on the platform, activating his duel disk. Since Haou had watched through Juudai's eyes, he knew exactly what to do. Hoisting himself up on the platform in one swift, graceful movement, he, as well, activated his duel disk. They stared at each other momentarily before taking their cards out of their cardholders and shuffling them. Then, they each drew five cards.

"I'll go first," Haou murmured, drawing a card. Then, looking down at his hand, his eyes widened slightly. Quickly, he bit back his astonishment. He didn't know how it'd happened, but the cards he was holding were ones from his personal deck. So where had the other one gone? Well, it didn't matter, he supposed. He was far more comfortable using these. "I summon Evil Hero Hell Gainer in attack mode (1600)." A large monster covered in red and gray armor appeared on the field. "My turn ends."

Johan blinked. "That's all you're going to do? And now you're ending your turn? Well, all right…" Looking suspicious, he drew his card. "I summon Gem Beast Emerald Turtle in defense mode (2000)!" A green shell with crystal spikes protruding appeared on the field in front of him. "My turn ends."

Haou remained unimpressed. He drew a card. "Really, I did expect better. You didn't even try." Deep inside, his own comment disgusted him. Had he really decided to stoop so low as to belittle Johan in order to make himself feel better? True, his expectations were high for everyone, including himself, but he felt as though it had been unnecessary to vocalize such a thing.

"What do you mean?" Johan asked, "It's not my fault what I draw!"

Haou ignored this comment and just continued with his move. "I sacrifice Hell Gainer in order to summon Evil Hero Malicious Edge in attack mode (2600)." A monster covered in spiked bands and metal claws on his gloves materialized in place of Hell Gainer.

"Wait a minute," Johan interrupted, "That's a level seven monster! How come you could summon it with only one sacrifice?"

Haou seemed somewhat irritated. "Because of its special ability." He explained, "When my opponent controls a monster, then I'm allowed to summon Malicious Edge with one sacrifice."

Johan looked sheepish. "Oh, I guess I should've known…"

Haou grumbled something beneath his breath, then continued. "Next, I play Resurrection of the Dead to special summon Hell Gainer back to the field. However, now that I have him back, I'm going to remove him from play so that I can activate his special ability. Malicious Edge can attack twice this turn. And don't think that your life points are safe, either. The difference from Malicious Edge's attack and your monster's defense is dealt to you directly as damage."

Johan's eyes widened. He took a shaky step back as the monster sped towards Emerald Turtle, destroying it. A second later, an emerald gem appeared on the field in the background. Haou asked no questions. He knew exactly what had happened.

Then, Malicious Edge drew back, only to plunge towards the European boy again, raking him sharply across the chest. He could not help but cry out as his life points dropped to 800. Breathing rapidly, he dropped to his knees, trembling from head to toe. He looked up at Haou, sweat breaking out on his forehead. Haou merely stared him down.

"Wh-what are you doing to me?" Johan asked, panting, "I feel like…I can't breathe…"

Haou stared unfeelingly at the teal haired boy. He refused to answer his question. The truth was that Haou had retained some of his power. He found that he was able to exert a certain amount of pressure on the boy. And he rather enjoyed watching him writhe in discomfort on the floor. A small, cold smirk twitched the corners of his lips upwards, but only momentarily.

Although he was enjoying hurting the boy, he wasn't quite sure of it. In reality, he wanted to keep peace between them. He figured it was acceptable in a duel, and he could treat Johan civilly enough later. Perhaps he just needed to make sure he still had the ability to do this. It did feel good to test his abilities again.

"My turn ends." Was all he said.

It was then that he felt it. The sensation was faint at first, but it grew steadily and bubbled inside of him, coursing through his veins and fueling him. Looking down at his hand, he wondered where it had come from. One quick glance up in the stands told him all he needed to know; his theory had been correct. A wider smirk tugged at his mouth, until his indifferent expression had given way to a wicked smile. It seemed as though it were the first time in ages that he'd actually allowed any emotion creep to his face. It felt as though he couldn't hold this one back.

Juudai leaned forward in his seat, his brow furrowed in concern. His head spun slightly; the room tilted to one side. Even though the sudden weakness confused him, he was more concerned about his friend.

"Johan!" He called, "Are you all right?" He really hated to see his best friend being pushed around like that. He had had no idea that Haou was such a powerful duelist. Not to mention he was doing something that was inflicting harm on Johan. However, there was nothing he could do but watch.

Swallowing hard, the other boy nodded. He straightened up, then, closing his eyes, drew. His sea green eyes opened to look at the cards in his hand. "I play Ancient Rainbow City--Rainbow Ruin!" The surroundings morphed from the duel field to a coliseum. A rainbow streaked across the azure sky. "Then, I summon Gem Beast Amethyst Cat in attack mode (1200)!" A sleek, pale pink cat with a purple gem around its neck leapt out in front of Johan. "Now, her special ability lets me attack your life points directly, if I cut her attack points in half."

Haou stood completely still as the cat lunged at him, swiping at his face. He remained unfazed even as his life points dropped down to 3400.

"I set a card and then my turn ends." Johan finished.

He glanced up at the stands, where Juudai sat. He grinned weakly at the brunette. On the other hand, Juudai just waved slightly. He looked as though he didn't feel too well. At the moment, he was gripping the seat in front of him, and his face was rather paling. Before Johan could ask him if he were all right, Haou drew and began his move.

"I play Vicious Claw and equip Malicious Edge with it so he gains 300 extra attack points. Now, I attack Amethyst Cat."

Malicious Edge started to swing at the feline; however, Johan waved his hand revealing his face down. "Go, Rainbow Life! I discard one card from my hand, and then I gain life points equal to the damage I would've taken." His life points rose to 1900; however, his monster was still destroyed. Even if it did come back to the field as a purple gem, he could do nothing more with it for the time being.

"Well, you finally do something right," Haou mused, "However, it won't be enough."

"We'll see about that," Johan told him, scowling, "I don't intend to lose."

"You'll have to duel better than that if you want to even come close," Haou told him, "And you could probably start by drawing."

"Oh, right." Johan's face turned slightly pink as he drew a card. "I summon Gem Beast Amber Mammoth in defense mode (1600)! Next, I play Gem Guidance. This magic card allows me to special summon a Gem Beast from my deck. So, Sapphire Pegasus, come on out!" A snowy white horse with large wings and a single blue horn protruding from its forehead materialized on the field. "Now, thanks to his special ability, I can place a Gem Beast on the field, though it will be treated as a magic card. I choose Gem Beast Topaz Tiger from my deck." A yellow stone appeared on the field next to the emerald and amethyst ones. "Now, I end my turn."

Haou drew a card and looked at it for a moment before moving into action. At that same moment, Hell Gainer returned to the field. Johan seemed even more taken aback.

"I thought you removed him from play!"

"I did. But on my second standby phase, he returns to the field. You really are a simpleton, aren't you?" Haou shook his head. "I play Dark Calling. This card allows me to send fusion material monsters from my hand to the cemetery, in order to summon a fusion monster from my deck."

"I don't think so," Johan told him, "By sending a Gem Beast to the cemetery, I can negate the activation of a magic card and destroy it. I send Amber Mammoth to the cemetery to destroy Dark Calling."

Haou frowned, however, did not say anything. "Very well. In that case, I'll attack Sapphire Pegasus with Malicious Edge."

"I don't think so. Because of my Ancient Rainbow City--Rainbow Ruin, I can halve your attack." Johan told him.

Haou frowned slightly as Malicious Edge's attack was cut to 1450. His monster continued the attack, causing his life points to drop to 3150. "Very well. I'll just end my turn."

Johan sighed heavily in relief. He drew a card. "I play M-Force! This allows me to add 500 attack points to a Gem Beast I control. I choose Sapphire Pegasus!" He watched in satisfaction as his monster's attack was raised to 2300. "Now, Sapphire Pegasus, attack Hell Gainer!"

The horse drew back, then flew towards Hell Gainer, destroying him. Haou's life points dropped to 2450. He remained calm.

"Now, my turn ends." Johan sighed.

Haou silently drew a card, then announced, "I summon Elemental Hero Wildman in attack mode (1500). Then, I play Magic Removal and destroy your Ancient Rainbow City--Rainbow Ruin."

Johan scowled. He knew if he wanted to keep his magic card around, he'd have to sacrifice a Gem Beast. But that would cost him the duel. Even if he did sacrifice a Gem Beast, he'd still lose...It was best to let it go. He allowed Haou to go through with his move.

"Now, that I have that out of the way, I'll just attack Sapphire Pegasus with Malicious Edge. There's nothing more you can do."

Johan gritted his teeth. This was not good. Haou had known all along what he was doing, and had led him right into a trap, so to speak. It seemed almost like checkmate.

Haou did not attack immediately, however. Rather, he had other plans before going through with the attack. The strange smirk returned to his face; his eyes were filled with bloodlust. He allowed his dark energy to escape him in small amounts, inflicting further pain on the teal haired boy. His golden eyes narrowed as he thought about how Johan was trying to take something that wasn't his. Watching in satisfaction as Johan winced and panted under the pressure he exerted, he decided that then was the time for the attack; he would finish the boy off.

Before Haou could go through with the attack, Juudai stood up, holding on to the seat for support. He hobbled down the stairs, gripping the railing as he did so. A few times, he almost fell over. Finally, he reached the duel field and leapt up, putting himself between Johan and Haou.

"Please…enough…" He panted, swaying slightly, "I can't take any more."

Gritting his teeth, Haou's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "What do you think you're doing? What is the meaning of this?!"

"You're hurting him," Juudai breathed, outstretching his arms and frowning, "I can't let you do any more."

Grumbling, Haou deactivated his duel disk. He only resigned because he'd found out what he'd needed to know, and he'd obtained the power he'd been seeking. Not to mention he'd felt as though he'd done enough harm for one day. He didn't want to cause animosity between him and Johan, and he most certainly didn't want to upset Juudai to the point that he wouldn't trust him. He'd be merciful for then. At least he knew the way to Juudai's reservoir. It would be easy to seize the energy he so desired.

That wasn't the only reason, though. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn't like hurting Juudai. Perhaps it was because Juudai and he were one soul…Besides, he didn't want to start a war with Johan. He'd already put him in his place. It was time to let it go.

Looking down at the metal band strapped to his wrist, he decided that the 'amulets' were not as useless as they seemed. Since he'd found a way to utilize them for himself, he decided he didn't want them removed. All he'd have to do would be to keep Juudai from dueling. At least, until he found a way for that to benefit him as well. And, in the meantime, he'd simply keep Juudai from getting too close to anyone else. He feared that if he spent too much time with any one person, Juudai might slip through his fingers.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," Johan told Juudai, smiling a little, "But thank you anyway."

Juudai did not respond. At the moment, his face had paled considerably. He began to wobble on his feet, then, he fell backwards. Johan quickly reached out and caught him. Slumping against Johan's chest, Juudai shivered and smiled weakly.

"I'm Ok…I just feel really weak." He tried to assure his friend.

Haou frowned a bit. This was quite a disadvantage. It seemed as though he'd have to wait for Juudai's energy to replenish before he dueled again. By the time that happened, the power he had gained would fade away, and he would not be able to add to it. Something had to be done. If he could find a way to keep adding on to it or to quicken Juudai's recovery rate, then perhaps he could properly utilize his power to the full potential. In the meantime, his first priority would have to be making sure Juudai was all right.

By that time, Juudai had sunk down to the floor. Johan was still holding him up, trying to keep Juudai conscious by talking to him. Trying to appear unconcerned, Haou stepped over and squatted by them. He looked Juudai over for a moment, then frowned deeply.

"Get up."

"What?" Juudai blinked and looked confused.

"I said, get up," Haou repeated, "It's not that bad. You can handle it."

"You can't just order him around like that!" Johan protested, his anger flaring slightly, "He can't do it anyway."

"And I say he can," Haou insisted, "We didn't even finish the duel. He should be able to walk."

"It's true, Johan," Juudai sighed, "I can get up. Just let me rest for a moment."

"But…" Johan bit his lip and looked uncertain, "If you need me to carry you…"

Juudai merely shook his head. He leaned against Johan, trembling, then, taking a deep breath, started to raise his upper body. Using Johan for support, he pushed himself to his knees. The European boy then took his hand and pulled him up, all the while fussing over him. Haou wrinkled his nose slightly in obvious disdain. How weak were these people? Well, he'd change Juudai into a warrior soon enough. This was merely the first step in his plan to divide and conquer…

Juudai, however, had gotten up too quickly. His legs shook, then his knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground. He tried to insist that he was fine, but Johan would hear none of it. Scooping the brunette up in his arms, he lifted him from the floor and started to carry him, bridal style. Haou's scowl deepened at this. He moved quickly to block their path.

"Where do you think you're taking him?" He asked quietly.

Johan sighed. "It's obvious he needs help. I'm taking him to Ayukawa-sensei."

"I can take care of him myself," Haou insisted, his tone demanding Johan to comply, "If you wish to continue speaking with him, then I suggest you obey me. Now, hand him over. I'll make sure he gets proper care, and not from a stranger either." Juudai's condition really worried Haou. He wanted to make sure that he hadn't hurt him too badly; he needed to keep Juudai under his supervision for awhile. Not to mention he didn't want anyone else to take care of him. That was _his _job.

Johan gritted his teeth slightly. "I don't know who you think you are, but you have no place to be talking. After all, weren't you in the infirmary just a few days ago? What's wrong with taking Juudai then? You sure seemed to be just as weak as Juudai is now."

"It was not my idea to be taken to such a place," Haou told him, blinking calmly, "You were the one who decided I needed to go. It was really a waste of my time. I'd have gotten better without it. Juudai needs to learn to be self reliant, and I plan to teach him how to be utterly independent from everyone."

"Well, sometimes you need others to--" Johan began, but was swiftly cut off.

"The only use that others could possibly serve," Haou interrupted, "Is to be pawns."

With that being said, Haou wordlessly seized Juudai. Johan frowned and kept a tight hold on the boy. After a few moments, Haou managed to wrest Juudai from Johan's grasp. Then, gripping the boy tightly in his arms, he narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Don't you dare even think about crossing me," He spat, his fingers digging into Juudai's shoulders, "It's my duty to take care of him and mine alone. Don't try to get in my way."

"What makes you think you're so special as to be able to take care of him if no one else can?" Johan grumbled, reaching out for Juudai again. "Look, I don't want to cause any trouble, but this is personal. I guess I've been sort of bitter but, I really don't want to compromise Juudai's health. Let me take care of him! He's hurt…he needs help. Please let me take him! Why do you think you can care for him more than I can?"

Haou held Juudai firmly in one arm and used his free hand to lightly smack Johan's hands away. He could not help but strike out; he felt strangely possessive of the Osiris student. "That is something that one of your mental caliber could never comprehend. It is my business. Your interests for Juudai do not concern me. Don't misunderstand--you and I are after different goals. However, you are interfering in my work, and I don't appreciate that. I expect you to keep out of my way."

"If you aren't after Juudai in the same way I am," Johan snapped, narrowing his own eyes a bit, "Then why are you acting like this? Just give him back and let me take care of him! Or, at least let us both take care of him. I won't let you tear us apart just because you have some crazy idea of what's good for him. If you want him to be independent, then stop micromanaging his life!"

Haou quaked with rage. He clenched his teeth, his breaths coming a little faster. "You are crossing the line. Be glad that I have more important matters to attend to." Having said this, he clutched Juudai tighter and began to storm out of the room, his eyes blazing with choler.

Juudai whimpered slightly. He shifted uncomfortably in Haou's iron grip, then squirmed. "You're hurting me…"

Most people would've been slightly concerned at this. However, Haou did not care at the moment. He was not the type to go out of his way to cater to others, anyway, even if it meant inflicting added suffering. Rather, his sadistic side reaped the benefits brought about by his ultimate indifference. And then was no exception. Besides, he was much too angry to think about what he was doing.

He did not respond to Juudai's comment, only kept walking quickly down the hall. It was not long before they were back at the Osiris dorm, where Haou carelessly dumped the brunette on the bed, causing the springs to creak in protest. Juudai groaned a little, and lay on his side, watching Haou through half lidded eyes. The king sat on the edge of his cot, averting his gaze. The bitter taste of envy lingered in his mouth. He would give anything for Juudai to realize their bond and let him use his power in any way he saw fit. Sighing, he knew he'd have to accept the reality of the whole matter. Perhaps one day Juudai and he would be that close. But that was not the day. He would have to be patient, as against his nature as that was, and wait for his inevitable compensation.

Swinging his legs up onto the bed, he leaned against the wall and stared straight ahead, pondering over the fragmented memories he had of his past with Juudai. Yes, it was true that more had occurred than he remembered. He knew that much. However, at one time or the other, most of his memories of Juudai had been erased, cause unknown. It was as though there was a gap between when Juudai had been born and when he had grown up a bit. Perhaps it was simply a side effect of being so many decades old...sometimes, it felt like eons ago when he had walked the earth. And yet, there he was again, with so many unfamiliar sights and sounds, with so many questions left unanswered. He was completely lost. He was a drifter and nothing more. His ultimate goal seemed somewhat impossible. However, he was resolute to make it happen. He would take control of himself and further develop himself as a duelist and as a warrior. Nothing was going to stop him. Not even Juudai.

Shutting his eyes, he ignored the present and let his mind drift to the past. He had to dig deeply in his subconscious in order to cause the short memory to surface. It was one of the only times that he could recall having spent with Juudai, assuring him that it had actually happened. However many times he visited this piece of his life, it never did him justice. He wished desperately he could go back in time. So he just lay back on the bed, and let himself sink into the mental images of his past, as though it were happening at that same moment…

* * *

_Juudai sat on the chair, kicking his legs vigorously. For a five year old boy, sitting still was no easy task. Rather, it was more or less impossible. However, it was something he felt obliged to do for his friend._

_"Sit up straight, Juudai, and pay attention."_

_"I'm trying," Juudai insisted, his eyes drifting to the window. _

_Haou sighed in obvious exasperation as he stared down at the squirming child. How could he ever tell him what he wanted him to do if Juudai wouldn't listen? Well, he supposed beggars couldn't be choosers. After all, he was lucky enough for Juudai to be completely alone most of the time, thanks to his parents' demanding jobs. Not to mention the fact that Yubel had done a good job of chasing his friends off. Too bad Juudai was too young and fragile to help him…_

_"Haou, why does nobody like me?"_

_The question startled the king. Surprised, he let his gaze slide over to the little boy. A quaint emotion washed over him from the inside, bathing him in pity and sorrow. Sighing heavily, he sat in the seat next to Juudai, though he technically wasn't sitting on it since he was a vision from inside Juudai's mind. Yet Juudai viewed him as a mere figment of his imagination…_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Why do all my friends run away?" He asked, blinking,_

_"They don't understand," Haou said slowly, "and neither do you. Perhaps some day I'll explain it to you."_

_As heartless as he was, then was not the time to tell Juudai that Yubel was there to protect him, and she sometimes went a little far...Not to mention he sometimes took control of Juudai. Although Juudai's body was too weak to do anything drastic, he could still hone his skills by taking on opponents. It didn't matter their skill level, really. As long as he could linger in the powerful glory and rush that came about from beating them._

_Juudai sighed and looked a bit sad. He gazed up at Haou and told him, "It's Ok that they all run away from me…I can't help it but it's all right…because I have you, and you're the best imaginary friend that anyone could have!" He beamed, his grin growing wider by the second._

_Haou's lips twitched in a cold sort of smile. He could not help but feel fondly towards the younger boy. He could not help but feel protective. Since he didn't like to talk, he merely patted Juudai on the head to show that he approved of his comment. The brunette would never have to know…_

* * *

Haou snapped himself of his thoughts. It was almost painful to think of the past like that, especially when he couldn't remember anything more. He didn't even know why that was the one memory that he'd retained. He must learn to move on. What had been done had been done, and there was no changing it. So why did it still bother him? Perhaps it was because they'd been so close. And then something had happened that had torn them apart, and flung him out of Juudai's consciousness…He still didn't know what had happened. Perhaps he would never know.

Sighing, he turned his attention back to Juudai. The brunette was fast asleep by then, curled up in a fetal position on the bedcovers. Slowly, Haou lifted himself from the bed. It was hard to get up. Every bone in his body ached for some strange reason. Perhaps it was due to his previous illness. Or perhaps this body was temporary, and it was rejecting his soul. Nonetheless, he felt unspeakable pain rising within him.

Despite the ache that lingered, Haou continued to stand and watch Juudai. Leaning over, he yanked the covers out from under the shivering brunette and draped them over him. Perhaps then he'd be more comfortable. Then, he sat on the edge of Juudai's bed, watching the boy sleep.

Sadness washed over him at the sight of the young boy. He wasn't sure why he felt so meaningless. He couldn't explain why he felt so, so…helpless. Perhaps it was just the fact that he didn't know what to do. Or maybe it was the undeniable fear of rejection. Johan was misinterpreting him. He was not there to ultimately hurt Juudai. If he did, then it would be a side effect that must be accepted. Even if he did gain power from the boy, he was also trying to help the brunette find himself. It felt strange to think that he would help someone…

Then again, Haou was not nearly as insensate as he was perceived to be. He really was capable of showing compassion for others, he just chose not to most of the time. It was entirely his choice to be the way he was. And he had no intentions of changing…unless it would benefit him in some way.

Movement caught his eye. His gaze shifted towards the small, cramped closet; he noticed a faint glint coming from beneath the door. Frowning, he watched the light move around in the closet, then fade away. He glanced back over at Juudai. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was concerned for the other boy's well being. And whatever was in that closet could cause harm to him. Boldly, he stood and strode across the room, flinging the door open. Nothing was there, except for a few boxes. Sighing, he shut the door again, oblivious to the small shard of glass that reflected a mangled, cracked image of him in the corner.

Suddenly, he felt exhausted. All the day's events had taken quite a toll on him. Even though he really didn't think he should, he reluctantly gave in, and collapsed to the cot for a short nap. As his eyes drooped shut, he noticed an ominous shadow creeping across the wall. He tried to shake himself of his drowsy state, but only found it futile. Someone, or something, was putting him to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Ugh. Sorry for that ending. I feel like it just doesn't work, even though I have a plan for it. I feel like I was jumping around to much…and I'm not sure about the characterization. And I'm not sure about the memory either…but I have a plan to draw from that too. I don't include anything that's unnecessary. But I've done what I can…I've sat on it for over a week, I've revised and re-read and rewritten, I've asked people's opinions on what I'm uncertain about…I've done nearly all I can do, including deep pondering. So, sorry about how it turned out, but it has to be this way for future chapters. Also, don't even say that if I had time for this I should have time to answer my messages. This is part of my work, and I have to get it done. Plus, I worked on it gradually over the week. So please tell me what you think. DX I can't promise that I'll be able to take all of your con crit into account because I've noticed that different people have different opinions on characterization and the such. I'll figure it out eventually… **


	7. Chapter 7: Trepidation

**A/N: LOL you know what's really funny? I was writing this chapter then the next day, my friend submitted a picture to deviant art that was like…this chapter. But she didn't know about it yet…8D **

**Ahem…sorry. Pointless story. -.-; Anyway, here's the important part: WARNING: THERE IS VIOLENCE AND MILD GORE IN THIS CHAPTER. IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH, KEEP A TRASH CAN NEARBY. Just kidding about the trash can part. It's not that bad…at least in my humble opinion. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX**

* * *

Chapter 7: Trepidation

The world was dark, suffocating, void. It all seemed completely surreal, perhaps it was. But Haou could not be sure. He waited for his vision to adjust, but it never did. The darkness was endless, interminable. He looked around himself, trying to find anything familiar. Soon enough, he became aware of a dim glow that was growing increasingly brighter. The source of the light surprised Haou. Surrounding him on all sides were identical mirrors. Slowly, he began to recognize the place. He was somewhere within Juudai's mind.

He took a moment to collect his bearings. If he recalled properly, then he had fallen asleep several minutes prior to waking in Juudai's mind. And, thinking back on the sudden drowsiness he'd mysteriously experienced, he remembered that it had hit him only after he'd opened the closet. What could have caused him such exhaustion? Even then, he felt incredibly weak. Perhaps he could take a few moments to try to recover before he thought on the matter any more…

His eyelids were drooping shut again when he heard a faint noise echoing in the distance. Quickly, he snapped himself to attention. Gazing about him, he saw nothing except the darkness and the mirrors. This made him uneasy. Even though he felt incredibly lethargic, he forced himself to get up. He walked around the mirrors, peering behind them. He spent a few moments searching for the source of the noise.

Suddenly, he stopped. The noise was coming from behind one of the mirrors. Slowly, he looked around it. There, crouching on the ground and curled up with his knees pulled to his chest, was Juudai. Haou opened his mouth to speak, then saw that it was probably best to let Juudai see him before hear him. The poor brunette was trembling all over. This puzzled Haou. What could have upset him that badly?

Stepping around the mirror and edging closer, he found that Juudai was not trembling from fear, rather, from intense shock. The poor boy was gasping slightly, blood trickling down his face. Looking closer, Haou saw that it was not just a few stray scratches. Instead, he was covered in wounds, his clothes soaked in the crimson flow. Haou dropped down to his knees, kneeling by the boy. Tentatively, he reached forth a hand, grazing his fingertips to the other's injured shoulder. Juudai twitched involuntarily at the touch. However, he did not seem to notice Haou other than that.

Haou moved closer to the brunette, turning him so they were facing each other. Juudai's dark eyes were vacant, unfocused. He stared off into space, wheezing and struggling for breath. Deep inside, Haou was alarmed. However, he refused to let it show on his features. Gingerly, he took Juudai's shoulders, giving him a bit of support. Something had to be done. Even if they were only in Juudai's mind, this could affect his physical body as well. After all, things that went on in his mind were not mere subconscious thoughts. They affected the body too. The body's reaction was based on what happened in the mind as much as external means. So he had to be stabilized.

What had happened to injure him so badly? Had it been an intruding spirit? If so, where was the intruder then? Haou glanced around, wary. There did not seem to be any other presence at the moment. Looking back down at Juudai, he sighed. There was not much he could do for him. The first thing he'd have to do would be to calm him. He was going into mental shock. There was nothing he could do about the bleeding, since it was a mere illusion. The only thing he could aid was the psychological aspects of the situation.

Juudai slumped against Haou's chest, growing limp. Haou kept a hold on his shoulders, keeping him from falling completely over. He gave the boy a few nudges, trying to get his attention. However, it was all in vain. Juudai remained unresponsive.

"Juudai," Haou called quietly, continuing to nudge him, "Don't you dare go to sleep. Don't you dare fall unconscious. It's an illusion. You're not really hurt. Juudai, I'm talking to you…Juudai?"

Haou spoke his name in a questioning sense lastly, for Juudai had responded to some unknown stimuli. His head lifted weakly, his chocolate eyes scanning the darkness. There was a certain amount of nervous anxiety that he gave off, the way his fingers dug into Haou's arms as he watched intently. Somewhat uneasy, Haou glanced around as well. The atmosphere hung heavily; there was an ominous tension in the air. The tension caused his senses to heighten; his discomfort rose as he felt the presence of a malicious soul lurking in the distance. Instinctively, he clutched Juudai closer, to protect him from further harm. His eyes narrowed dangerously, threateningly. Woe be to the one that laid so much as a finger on Juudai. He would not allow such atrocity to go unpunished; he would not allow such an offender to go unscathed. The very thought of anyone harming Juudai like that made his blood boil.

At that moment, a high pitched scream ripped through the tense still of the atmosphere. Instantly, Haou reacted. He gripped Juudai closer, clenching his teeth. Hot, wet liquid hit Haou's skin suddenly. Crimson streams crept down Juudai's chin and neck, dripping onto Haou's chest and hands. His hands traveled to Juudai's hair, which he ruffled comfortingly.

Carmine eyes glinted from the darkness beyond. A clawed foot stepped from the thick mist, revealing black, iridescent scales. Haou squared his shoulders, every muscle in his body tensing, preparing for attack. His more animalistic nature replaced his refined side, a primitive sort of response for a threatened target. The only question that lingered in his mind at the time: How was he to ward this creature off and expel it from Juudai's mind while protecting the boy at the same time? It would not be easy.

Slowly, he began to release Juudai so that he might face this beast. However, he soon changed his mind. Hot, moist breath blew on his ear as a bloodcurdling shriek shattered the silence. Momentarily, he could hear nothing but a slight ringing. Stiffening, he realized that there was more than one of them. What were these grotesque creatures? Where had they come from? His grip on Juudai tightened once more. Whatever they were, they were after the brunette.

Glancing back down at Juudai, he inwardly cursed. He could not calm the boy's shock if he had this predicament on his hands. Well, it seemed as though he didn't have a choice. He'd have to fight to help protect Juudai. It looked as though the brunette had already done all he could on his own. Indeed, his battle scars were many and deep. If he wanted to save Juudai's soul, he'd have to dispose of these beasts swiftly and thoroughly. He would not allow such barbaric slaughter! Neither would he allow a killing that would go to waste. If it was not beneficial, then it was useless. These creatures did not seem to be deriving anything out of it. Perhaps they were simply searching out their next meal, and Juudai was the feast they were to soon partake of. It disgusted him.

He watched their movements carefully, his fiery amber eyes twitching in all directions, following them. So far, he sensed three of them. The third had yet to make a move. It was probably there as a watch out. Either that or these two before him and behind him were distractions from the true issue at hand. He would have to be extremely cautious.

The first creature stepped closer, its silver claws gleaming in the dim glow cast off from the mirrors. A second thin foot soon followed. He watched as a scaly hand dropped out of the shadows. The claws were also silver, yet they were coated in thick red fluid. It streaked down the wrist and the arm, pooling at the elbow. Bits of cloth and what appeared to be flesh were caught on the claws, from where it had taken a swipe at its victim.

Another step. Haou gritted his teeth, his frown deepening. This revealed the rest of the creature. There was a ring of dirty gray fur stained with blood around its neck. Its head was slender and elongated, ending in a snout. The teeth protruded sharply from beneath the dark lips, gleaming silver and dark crimson mixed. It had thin, pointed ears that perched atop its head that twitched every then and again. The eyes were red; he could not discern where they were directed. Indeed, it was an unsightly beast. The very sight made Haou want to shudder in disgust. But he mustn't show any bodily movement that could be mistaken as weakness. He must remain stiff and domineering.

The second creature growled low in its throat from behind him. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle at the sensation of its breath on his skin. A cold, moist nose pressed against his neck, the razor sharp front teeth scraping against the tender flesh. He remained still and calm. Slowly, it withdrew, and stepped off to the side. The two beasts began to circle Haou and Juudai slowly, their heads turned in their direction, their soulless eyes never leaving them. At this, Haou began to realize what he was dealing with. His eyes flashed in anger. He would not allow this to occur. Not then. Not there.

He realized he had no weapons to fight them off with. Not that he really needed any. He could do just as well with or without a sword in his hand. If he'd had a choice, he'd have preferred to have one, though. He was not quite back in practice with the use of his power, though he wished he was. Silently, he reprimanded himself for being so careless. There was nothing to do then except what he could. So, he gathered up his strength and exerted a hard force on the creatures. Perhaps it would be enough to drive them from Juudai's helpless mind.

Juudai gave a soft, murmured protest at the sudden pressure that crushed his chest. Haou's eyes flickered down to meet those brown ones, just for a moment. Juudai relaxed, though he did not seem to fully comprehend the situation, or the person in front of him. Somehow, though, the secure, assuring vibes penetrated the shell of understanding, and helped him relax.

Clenching his teeth again, Haou cursed inwardly, seeing that the power was not enough. Taking a deep breath, he concentrated on tapping into his own reservoir of energy, so that he might be able to use it against these beasts. The spirits cried out in agony as the force intensified a hundredfold. The second one, however, was close enough to wage another attack. A quick swipe of its paw was all that was required to slice the silver claws easily through Haou's flesh, severing his arm from his body. Red hot agony shot through his veins, electricity stimulating his nerves. The rush of blood leaving the gaping wound so suddenly left him feeling dizzy. Gritting his teeth, he breathed in deeply, willing himself not to scream. The only facial expression that indicated any pain was a slight grimace that flickered over his features for a second. Then angry flames licked at him, consuming him with rage. The pressure he exerted was adequate this time. The sudden burst of energy crushed the spirits, causing them to let out a final lengthy cry as they dissipated into nothingness.

Panting, Haou leaned back against a mirror, holding his shoulder and squeezing his eyes shut. The pain was almost unbearable. It filled his entire body with sickness and weakness. At this point, Juudai seemed to have been shaken from his trance. Perhaps it had been the damage that Haou had received. After all, they were one and the same. What happened to Haou affected him as well. This caused Haou to murmur a small curse beneath his breath. He'd meant to prevent Juudai's body from going into shock. Instead, he seemed to have made it worse. Juudai's eyes widened as he saw the damage that had been done. Quickly, he placed his hands over the wound, trying to cease the flow of blood, but failing. The precious life force bled from betwixt his fingers, trickling down his arm. It was not the physical body that was dying painfully slow, rather, it was his soul. Haou grimaced at the thought of Juudai losing his life just for the sake of his own carelessness. It was a sacrifice he was not willing to make.

"Haou!"

"I'm all right," Haou muttered, breathing deeply, "It's just a little pain. Nothing I can't handle."

Compassion washed over Juudai's features. He tried to help Haou desperately; however, not much could be done. Haou, though, would not be taken into a state of shock. He would not be anything but calm and alert. Even if the pain was great, he reminded himself that it was merely psychological. If his mentality remained normal, then he would not be affected quite as badly. It was mind over matter.

Glancing back over at Juudai, he murmured, "Your wounds…Are you in much pain?"

Juudai fell slightly forward, clutching Haou's shoulders to steady himself. "It hurts…a lot…"

Haou opened his mouth to ask another question, but stopped. Something was happening…He felt as though he were being slowly pulled from Juudai's mind. Looking back over at Juudai, he noticed the boy fading. Before he had time to completely infer what was occurring, Juudai had vanished. Afar off, he heard the sound of glass shattering and showering to the ground. The noise resounded, growing louder. It was then that he noticed the mirrors in the distance breaking. This was different…it rarely happened. Only sometimes did this occur when Juudai was either deeply distressed or becoming self aware from a state of deep comatose.

He felt Juudai beginning to awaken, and realized that he needed to wake himself as well. This proved to be more difficult than it sounded. He struggled to escape that part of Juudai's mind; however, his own soul was weakened considerably by his expenditure of energy. Judging by the rate of the destruction, though, he would have to find some way to escape, and quickly. Not to mention he didn't want Juudai to know that he had been there…There was no telling whether or not Juudai was aware of the danger he'd been in. After all, they had been deep in his subconscious. Hopefully, he was blissfully ignorant to the whole matter.

Haou finally gathered the strength to rip his half of their soul from Juudai's mind. He'd done it several times since they'd been given separate bodies. However difficult it was though, it was possible. After all, he had lived in Juudai's mind while his spirit resided partially in Dark World and when he had needed to focus on tasks before him instead of on Juudai, he'd done this sort of thing. The part that proved to be arduous was finding an exit. After all, he had not come on his own will. Which led him to this question: What had pulled him back to that level of Juudai's mind? He did lurk and reside in that place, true, but since they'd been separated, he'd found it increasingly difficult to enter certain places of Juudai's mind. He really would only go there on certain occasions of his own will. Unless of course, Juudai felt a strong sense of danger, anger, or fear. He figured that since Juudai had needed his help, he had involuntarily called him to the surface. After all, that was the only logical explanation. And since he was the darker half of Juudai's soul, it took a bit more prodding to result in his appearance. Judging by the critical situation, though, he could have very well dragged Haou out to help him.

Looking around for any means of escape, a brilliant glow caught his eye. Turning quickly, he found the source of the eerie glow to be another mirror nearby. Quirking an eyebrow, he noticed that the glint of light was katakana. He looked closer, only to find that it was virtually illegible. Then, he realized why. It was spelled backwards. Glancing over his shoulder at a mirror behind him, he read it slowly: Restore. He was not sure what the significance of this was. Puzzled, he continued to stare into the glass, until he realized that there was something different about this mirror. Whereas the other mirrors might show either blank reflections of light or the reflection of a face, this one reflected a swirling blend of light and darkness. His eyes widened. Perhaps this would give him a way out! Before he tried, though, he hesitated and tried to logically weigh the possible consequences of doing so. After all, he knew nothing about it. However, glancing back and realizing that Juudai was already coming to, he hesitated no longer. He could not have the boy knowing what had occurred, so he leapt through the glass, and found himself instantly transported.

Feeling incredibly overwhelmed, he let himself sink back into his own consciousness. His energy was more easily depleted since he and Juudai had been split into two. It was harder to replenish it as well. Slowly, he opened his eyes. The light struck a sharp pain through his head, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut again. Well, he should have expected having a major headache after that encounter. He slung an arm over his eyes and lay still, hoping the pain would subside given enough time.

Hearing a soft groan from Juudai, Haou rolled over on his side and peered over his arm to make sure the boy was all right. He was relieved to see Juudai was unharmed. However, it seemed as though he was experiencing extreme physical discomfort as well. Slowly, Juudai got to his feet and crossed the room. He opened a nearby drawer and took out a bottle of aspirin, then took one of the small pills. Haou watched him, his eyes half closed. Juudai put the bottle away, then sat on the edge of the cot, looking down at Haou.

"I don't feel that good," He muttered, grinning weakly.

"I imagine not," Haou sighed, "You've been through a lot today."

Juudai sighed and held his head in his hands. "My head hurts a lot…"

Unable to help the concern that rose within him, Haou asked quietly, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah…I'll be Ok," Juudai smiled again, though he remained pale. In fact, he looked rather sick.

"Don't be so dishonest," Haou muttered, "Go lie down. It will pass."

"I guess I should," Juudai grumbled, looking irked, "but I don't want to go to sleep again. I had some bad dreams…"

Haou refused to respond. However, he wasn't too happy to hear this. Really, he hoped that Juudai didn't know what exactly had happened. That might scar his innocence. Finally unable to stand it, he asked, "What did you dream?"

Juudai shrugged. "It's really stupid. But it was disturbing too…I dreamed that monsters attacked me. Weird, huh? And kind of embarrassing too." He laughed a little, but was obviously troubled.

"And that was all?" Haou blinked calmly.

Juudai nodded. "It was a dreamless sleep after that...But I did wake up with a headache."

Haou didn't respond to this. He merely stared at Juudai with an emotionless amber gaze. Part of him was deeply relieved to hear that Juudai was unaware of the battle that had occurred within his mind. Part of him was still concerned that Juudai was still in danger, particularly since he did not know what had happened. Since he didn't know, then he was unable to tell Haou if he felt a similar intrusion. That meant that the king was going to have to keep a sharper eye on him. He'd have to be more alert and in tune with everything that went on in Juudai's portion of his mind. Privacy was not an issue at hand. It could be sacrificed in order to preserve their existence. Besides, since he and Juudai were one, he had a right to Juudai's thoughts. He couldn't waste his time trying to be courteous or spare the brunette's feelings. This was not a matter of common etiquette. This was a matter of self perseverance. What happened to Juudai happened to him.

For the time being, he turned his attention back to the boy in front of him. By then, Juudai was clutching his knees, his head hung, his breaths short and ragged. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead; his entire body began to tremble. Slowly, he lifted his head to gaze at Haou, a pained expression etched on his delicate features. Something deep within the king stirred, some forgotten emotion. It tugged at him most uncomfortably. He shifted and watched Juudai suffer from some unseen, oppressive force. Wondering if it were him, he dipped into Juudai's subconscious. He let his mental vision darken, then adjust. He felt a strange disturbance in Juudai's mind. It was no foreign presence. It was not him either. For once, he was completely thrown off guard. He could not find anything wrong with him. So, perhaps it was physical, then? He withdrew from Juudai's mind. Then, he stared into the other's eyes, searching. Juudai crawled closer to him and collapsed by his side. He seemed to take comfort in Haou's presence, just as he should.

Juudai sighed heavily, trying to calm himself. Gazing up at Haou and raising his head, he muttered, "Why do I feel like you're so close to me?"

Haou frowned slightly and did not reply. Instead, he laid a hand on Juudai's head and pressed it back down to rest on the pillow. He should've withdrawn his hand then. But he didn't. Rather, he allowed it to linger on Juudai's soft, brown hair. He felt obliged to give some physical contact; to let the other know that he was still there, that all was well. Although Juudai was doing quite a good job at concealing it, Haou could easily feel the depth of his true fear. Juudai _was_ afraid. What was scaring him was no big mystery. Even though he did not consciously remember what had taken place, the subconscious damage had been done. And perhaps that added burden in his mind had been what had made him so physically ill then. Well, Haou was not going to let that happen again. He would not allow anyone to get that close to Juudai or himself.

Haou watched as Juudai's eyelids fluttered shut. The boy heaved a heavy sigh, looking troubled. A soft, gentle rub of the head was all that was needed to reassure him. Neither he nor Haou spoke; it was unnecessary. Each kept to their separate thoughts. Yet, what went unsaid verbally was involuntarily communicated mentally. How could it be helped, after all? One could not hide from himself. One could not possibly expect to keep his own thoughts from himself. Even though this was the case, it was possible to shut the other half off to some degree, for privacy's sake. As strange as it seemed, each half of the soul was distinct enough to remain separate while together. Haou finally stopped thinking about this. It was something he could never quite shake entirely from his mind; however, he hated to think of it because it was such a deep, complex thought. It was far too complicated to dwell on any longer.

Perhaps the reason that he thought of it so much was because it was undeniable. Not to mention the notions that flew across his mind for even a moment's time…they were absolutely absurd. Out of the question. He had to convince himself to drop such silly thoughts, and focus on the true meaning of their existence. They were one. They were meant to be that way. Juudai was meant to aid and guide him as much as he was meant to do the same to him. If that was the case, and if they were to hold the fate of the world in their palms so delicately, then why did he feel that he was lacking? Empty? Why did he feel as though something more must be accomplished and obtained in order to receive the height of nirvana? As much as he tried not to ponder the possibility, he did. Ah, it was such a sinful idea. It was absolutely dripping with venomous lure. Although it was a vice of the highest degree, he could not help but think of it, to consider it. And he knew it would be his downfall if he chose to relent. He must not allow himself to be caught up in such foolish allures. He must think of his ultimate goal. Besides, what had he said before, promised to Johan? Yes, that was it. Out of the question. Unbelievably ridiculous. He would think of it no more.

Looking back down at Juudai, he noticed the brunette swallowing hard, his eyes now squeezed shut. His breathing had calmed considerably, though it was still too deep and irregular. Haou gave his hair another absentminded rub, then sighed. He thought about helping Juudai; then again, what could he do? It seemed as though there was nothing that could be done but wait. Still, taking into consideration that Juudai might change his mind…He dwelt on the thought a bit longer. It wasn't impossible for him to offer, was it? Or was he just so unaccustomed to any basic show of compassion that he could not even pity himself? Well, self-pity was a weakness anyway. Still…Juudai was a different case. It was not the normal case of self-pity. Not only did the boy possess half of his soul--the same soul, really--he was also Haou's reincarnation. So what made him hesitate? Was it that difficult to help himself? To offer? It was not a matter of that. It was a matter of pride. Finally, he relented. It was best to try, at least. Sitting back and watching was not going to help him at all. Besides, the bitter taste of bile was rising in his throat, product of Juudai's inner sickness.

"Is there anything that I can do?" He asked in a quiet tone. Even though his own mind had carefully turned the question over and over, pondering it, he was still surprised at himself. It was not an easy thing for him to offer aid, even if it was to his suffering counterpart.

Juudai looked up, his eyes wide with surprise. There was some kind quality to the king's voice, some tenderness that had not been present before. Usually, his voice was harsh, firm, and quiet. But then…He seemed to be regarding the other boy with a sort of gentle affection, a type that one might show to his closest friend. After a moment's thought, Juudai shook his head slowly. "You're keeping me company; that's good enough. Thank you for offering, though. But I'll be all right. I'm already starting to feel better." He smiled brightly, though a bit of dull pain lingered in his dark eyes.

Although he wasn't so sure, he let it go and fell silent. Absentmindedly, he stroked Juudai's hair a little, as a way to reassure him that it was all right. Finally, exhausted, the brunette shut his eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep. Haou leaned back against the wall, his eyelids beginning to droop as well. The things they were put through…The mental strain was absolutely exhausting. He resisted sleep for awhile, then finally gave in. There was always the morning to continue in his work. Besides, he needed to regain his energy and recover from the incident that had taken place. He could only hope that nothing like it happened again.

* * *

It was still twilight when Haou awakened. His eyelids fluttered open half way, his mind still foggy with sleep. Wondering why he felt so warm, he shifted a little, only to find a mop of messy umber hair tickling his nose. Propping himself up on his elbows, he looked down at Juudai, who was fast asleep beside him. It took him a moment to remember what the boy was doing next to him. Then, he shrugged it off and slipped off the bed. Quietly, he crept out the door, to go soak in a nice, hot bath. He wouldn't take too long. After all, he would like to have breakfast before the others arose. For once, he'd like to eat in peace. The noisy teenagers were tiresome to him. Even Juudai's vitality could be exhausting. Especially Juudai. Perhaps it was because he had to be extra careful around the other half of his soul. After all, at times, he forgot who he was dealing with. He could get fed up with him just as easily as he got fed up with those around him. It was hard work to keep himself under control.

Since no one else was using the bath at that time in the morning, he got it all to himself, much to his relief. He hated having to sacrifice his privacy. Thankfully, teenagers needed a lot of sleep. Sighing heavily, he lowered his aching body into the heated water and sank low. Sometimes, it felt nice to let his guard down slightly and relax. It had been ages since he'd properly allowed himself to unwind. Maybe a little bit wouldn't hurt. Just so long as he was ready to be interrupted. He was just glad to be able to stretch out and ease his tense muscles. A fifteen minute bath was all that he needed to feel refreshed.

After drying off and redressing, he slipped into the Osiris cafeteria for a quick bite to eat. As he stepped through the doors, a black-clad figure caught his eye. Dismayed, he took a seat at the far end of the room. For a few minutes, he was able to enjoy his meal in silence. Although the food was mediocre in his opinion, he would accept what he was served. He couldn't afford to be picky when it was the only food he had to eat. After all, he hadn't been able to be picky on the battlefield or while traveling across the steppes. He would've liked to have been given better food, but he wasn't offered that luxury, so he didn't complain. However pleasant the meal was in silence, though, the quality was most certainly degraded by pestering. And this was exactly what happened.

A tray clattered on the wooden table in front of him. The black-clad Osiris student seated himself confidently across from Haou, smirking a little. Haou sighed heavily, annoyed. He watched in disapproval as his new companion propped his elbows rudely on the table.

"Hey, how's it going?" Manjoume asked, attempting to start a conversation.

Haou sighed a little under his breath. Well, so much for a quiet breakfast. "If you mean to ask how I'm doing, then I'm doing fairly. And you?" He only made this petty exchange in order to be polite. He was, in no way, crude or barbaric.

"I'm doing good. Great actually." Manjoume replied, leaning farther on the table. "So, I saw you practically murder Andersen yesterday…"

"Did you really?" Haou asked grimly. It was becoming more than apparent that this boy was determined NOT to leave him alone.

"Yeah, I saw you go into the duel arena so I figured that something must be about to happen. So I kind of watched from the doorway…" He shoved some rice in his mouth as he finished saying this.

Haou frowned a bit. "It's not very considerate of you to follow me around like that."

Manjoume's charcoal eyes widened. He nearly choked on his mouthful of rice. "Wh-What makes you think I've been following you?"

"It's obvious," Haou said calmly, "by the way you've been behaving over the past few days and from the way that you so poorly conceal yourself. Not to mention that statement gave it away. As I recall, I was in an empty hallway at the time. Or at least it seemed so at first glance. If you weren't trying to be discreet, you'd have walked with me. But you didn't, which leads me to believe that you were following me. No one else was around at the time. Though, I find that strange…"

Quickly, Manjoume tried to compose himself. He licked his lips nervously, his eyes darting about uneasily. "Well, uh…Why would I do that? That's ridiculous. How dare you accuse me of being a stalker--!"

"And, you continue to dig yourself into a deeper hole even though it's clear you've been caught," Haou muttered, calmly taking a bite of his cabbage, "If you wanted to talk with me that badly, all you had to do was what you're doing now. And since you're talking with me now, that leads me to believe you had some other reason for following me." He raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "So what was your true aim, then? What was your reason?"

Shifting uncomfortably, Manjoume crossed his arms and pouted. He refused to look directly at Haou as he mumbled, "I just thought you might be a good opponent to duel."

"Mmhmm," Haou was not impressed. Neither was he fooled. Looking Manjoume up and down, he began to devise a scheme. He knew already that Manjoume and Juudai were good friends, as well as rivals, since he'd been able to watch Juudai's life somewhat. Not to mention he was one of the strongest duelists in the Academia. Drumming his fingers on the tabletop, he thought about the possibilities. The more he thought about it, the better of an idea it seemed. Manjoume could be useful…VERY useful. Well, Manjoume had been the one to come to him. He couldn't complain. First, though, he'd wait to see if Manjoume tried to initiate any more of an acquaintance.

"Ok," Manjoume grumbled, scowling, "Maybe I think that you're kind of…um…cool…I kind of was hoping I could…learn from you. After all, you would've finished Johan off relatively quickly had Juudai not intervened. I was just hoping that if I watched your method…maybe I could adapt it…"

"Mimicry is not the way to succeed," Haou pointed out, "However…" He paused to look Manjoume up and down, still pondering. Well, having a toady wasn't a bad thing. After all, he needed followers, servants to do his bidding and back him up. He could always get rid of the boy if he had no need for him or if he did not suite him. With a little wave of his hand, he granted permission. "But, I don't see the harm in taking you under my tutelage. As long as you realize that you will have to repay me later."

Manjoume looked uncertain. "Well, uh….I'm not sure…"

Haou blinked. "And why is that?" He asked, his expression stony, "After all, you must be certain if you went to such great lengths to follow me. But if you want my help, then you must pledge your loyalty to me as your superior and do as I ask when I require your assistance. Nothing less is satisfactory exchange for the gift I shall bestow upon you. I will make you great. All you need to do in return is obey me. Is that understood?"

Swallowing hard, Manjoume was not sure he could turn it down. There was something alluring about Haou…something that made one want to please him. Finally, he nodded weakly. "I…I'll do it. I'll do anything to be the best…Even now…I want to beat Juudai."

Looking as cold as ever, Haou muttered, "We'll see." He stood and held his hand out to Manjoume, palm down, fingers curled slightly.

The ebony haired teen stared at his hand momentarily, unsure of what he was expected to do. Finally, he took it and tried to shake it. Haou gave him a strange look.

"You aren't accustomed to these rituals, are you?"

Grimacing, Manjoume knelt down before Haou, his head bowed slightly in submission. Feeling Haou touch him lightly on the head as permission, he lifted it to find that Haou still had his hand outstretched. Finally, looking annoyed, he took the hand in both of his and stared at it. A quick glance up at Haou's cruel eyes was all he needed for confirmation. Grimly, he took the hand closer until he'd brushed his lips to the knuckles, thereby signing the deal, so to speak. Looking satisfied, Haou withdrew his hand.

With that, he turned on his heel, his shoulders squared. As he started to walk out the sliding door, he bumped into Johan. The teal haired duelist stared at him, blinking. He uttered a word of greeting, which Haou tersely and politely returned. Before Haou could make his escape, Johan grabbed him by the arm. Every muscle in his body tensed. Not only did he dislike any sort of physical contact, he also severely disapproved of a 'peasant' laying hands up royalty. Frowning, he glanced back over at Johan, his mouth setting in a tight line.

"What do you want?" He asked with more than a hint of asperity to his voice.

"Oh, nothing much," Johan answered, blinking innocently and smiling, "I just thought maybe we could talk…"

Haou sighed deeply. Was it everyone's wish to disturb his peace that day? Granted, he did not feel like talking with the boy. However, he might as well try to get along with him. He could be useful. Not to mention he was glad to see that Johan wasn't upset about the way he had treated him before…All had been forgotten once the duel had ended.

"Very well. What do you wish to discuss?" He looked into those sea green eyes, bored.

"Well, I was just worried about Juudai. Is he doing all right?" Johan bit his lip and wrung his hands slightly in distress.

"He's doing much better," Haou murmured, "All he needed was some rest."

"So he's going to be Ok?" Johan pressed, still uncertain.

Haou gave a curt nod. "If you were so concerned about him, though, why didn't you just go see him for yourself?"

"Well, I wasn't sure if he wanted to be alone or if he was sick or what." Johan replied, "I wanted to go see him but…"

Haou grumbled something, then asked, "Is that all?"

The European opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, a loud thud came from somewhere nearby. The dorm shook a little. Haou remained calm, though he felt a stab of concern for Juudai. On the other hand, Johan looked alarmed. He turned to run out of the cafeteria, but Haou put a hand on his shoulder stopping him.

"What was that?" Manjoume asked, finally speaking from the back of the cafeteria.

Listening intently, Haou glanced around him, then slowly released Johan's shoulder. Without another word, he slipped out the doors, and stood back to see if anything had collapsed. It wouldn't be a surprise if the dorm had caved in partially. After all, it was so unstable.

Johan soon joined him. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened at what he saw. Haou, who normally remained stoic and indifferent to any sight he was met with, could not help but emit a little gasp.

Glancing over at Johan with his lips slightly parted, a frown plastered on his face, he murmured, "This is getting WAY out of hand…"

Johan kept a hand over his mouth, and just nodded weakly, though he wasn't sure what Haou was talking about. Adrenaline soon kicked in, and the two rushed up the steps as quickly as they could. Nothing could prepare them for the trouble they would soon face…

* * *

**A/N: MWAHAHAHAHAHA! Cliffhanger! You have to WAIT you have to WAIT :singsongvoice: Um…ahem. Anyway…Sorry about having it kinda jump around like that. And…**

**I was going to say that the other night I was sitting and listening to music in the den while my dad watched TV. And GWAH what do I see? A movie trailer…and I kid you not that this is the first time I saw it…and I'd already had this chapter half way done. Anyway, so like…it was advertising a horror movie where like people's alter egos come and like butcher them. And their entrance is through mirrors. And it was called Mirrors. And I rolled my eyes and thought, "Great. Now people will think I ripped it off a dumb movie." But, hell, I don't WATCH movies even. GAH! Plus, I mean like…this story is different and stuff….still, I was all paranoid about it. I have a VERY complex plan for this. UGH. It's probably going to backfire later but w/e. I just had to share that HORRIFYING experience. DX**


	8. Chapter 8: Isolation Years

**A/N: Eh, I'm probably not going to get this done in one day…:sighs: Who am I kidding? It'll take me a week at least. XDD Well, probably. T.T But despite that and the looming, ominous threat of college hanging heavily above my head :stares up at it in dismay, I'm going to try to complete this chapter anyway. :bricked for being an idiot: Anyway, woo hoo enjoy…and be patient with me, plz. D: Remember, plot PWNS. Oh, and the chapter's title refers to all the years that Haou spent detached from society, in a way that means he lost his humanity blah blah. It's also the title of a really pretty song by Opeth. :D LISTEN TO EET. DD:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX. If I did, then we would see MOAR of Haou-sama! :coughandManjoumecough:**

* * *

Chapter 8: Isolation Years

Johan reached the door before Haou could. It was still jammed in the doorway, though it was hanging slightly off the hinges. He took a hold of the knob and twisted and jerked, trying to open it. However, it was stuck. Looking desperate, he turned to Haou for help. Quickly, Haou pushed him aside and kicked the door violently. It hardly budged. Frowning, he kicked it again. This time, the force was enough to cause it to collapse. He stepped boldly inside the darkened room. Kenzan and Sho had been awakened, of course, and were hovering over Juudai worriedly. There was what appeared to be broken glass scattered on the floor, but the window remained intact, indicating that the source was elsewhere. Haou watched as Juudai's roommates stepped on the glass without seeming to notice it. Arching an eyebrow, he stepped closer to the three boys.

Juudai was sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest, a dazed expression on his face. Kenzan and Sho were trying to talk to him, but he wasn't responding. They were shaking him a little, but he seemed to be in some sort of unconscious state. He merely stared straight ahead, his eyes widened and dulled. Pushing Kenzan and Sho away, Haou knelt in front of the Osiris student, taking his chin between a finger and a thumb, locking eyes with him in an attempt to get his attention. Johan came up behind him as Haou turned Juudai's face this way and that, studying him and trying to figure out what had happened. As he watched, he noticed what looked like blood beginning to seep through his skin. This was new to him. Alarmed, he wondered what was going on. He took a thumb and tried to wipe the blood away from Juudai's eyes. Looking down at his thumb, he saw the crimson smeared across it.

Turning to Johan, he held his thumb out, as though to emphasize the fact that Juudai was bleeding. "I've never seen anything like this…How can he bleed as though his skin were completely porous?" He murmured beneath his breath.

Everyone gawked at him as though he were insane. There was a long silence. Finally, though, Johan broke it, a look of confusion etched across his features. "He's not…bleeding…"

"What do you mean?! Can't you--" He quickly stopped talking, though, when he looked at his hand and saw the blood had disappeared. Looking back up at Juudai, he saw that he was, indeed, physically fine. However, he still appeared to be in a state of shock.

Haou blinked a little, glancing from his hand to Juudai. He wondered if it had been a vision, or if he were going crazy. Looking around the floor, he saw that the scattered bits of glass were gone too. Confused, he sat silent and dumbfounded for a few moments.

Johan knelt by Haou, waving his hand in Juudai's face. "Juudai? What's wrong?"

"It's no use-don," Kenzan sighed, shaking his head, "Nothing that we did seemed to have any effect on him."

Johan frowned, looking determined. "I'm sure there's something that will get him back to his senses."

Haou remained silent. He was deep in thought. Perhaps the incident in Juudai's mind had been a mere premonition for this. Perhaps Juudai had encountered the supernatural. There had to be some logical explanation for this, after all. It suddenly came to his attention that Juudai might be exhibiting outward signs of what was going on in his mind and, since Haou was half of his soul, he could see the critical depth of Juudai's state. Was it that the spirits had returned to his mind? Had they even been gone at all? Or was this a temporary state caused by exhaustion and the previous incident? Perhaps it was just a delayed reaction. He couldn't be sure, for, he sensed nothing amiss in the organization of Juudai's mind.

After a few more attempts with no results, Kenzan spoke up, concern clouding his normally bright brown eyes. "I'm going to ask Ayukawa-sensei about this-saurus. I'll be back."

Haou was reluctant to get anyone else involved in this intrapersonal matter; however, he didn't very well have a choice. He watched in dismay as the muscular boy hurried out the door, his combat boots thumping heavily on the landing. Johan sighed and slung an arm around Juudai's shoulders, looking downcast. Sho seated himself on the other side of Juudai, leaning against his side and staring up worriedly. On the other hand, Haou did not remain sedentary. He straightened up and began pacing, deep in thought.

It seemed as though the cause of Juudai's condition was not internal. That led him to believe that it was what he'd figured earlier--a delayed reaction from the unknown internal stimuli--or a response to some undetected external stimuli. He froze all of the sudden. As logic would lead him to believe, it was more likely that the cause was external. After all, the dorm had jolted violently. It could have been an earthquake, though that was not likely considering the loud thump that had occurred before the shaking. And the tremor had felt as though it had been caused by something heavy either falling down or slamming against the dorm. He squeezed his eyes shut to piece the evidence together. Well, first of all, the strange incidents had occurred when he'd opened the closet door. Of course, that could be mere coincidence, but still…it was somewhere to start. Thinking back, he tried to remember what he had seen. A few boxes, but nothing else. What was so malicious about a few boxes? Perhaps he had only seen what had been obvious. Or perhaps he was completely off track. Of course, then too, Juudai's reaction at the time was similar to the way he'd reacted to the beasts. If that were the case, then perhaps it was under the same conditions? His gaze flickered over briefly to the closet door. Just as he'd suspected. It was cracked open.

Cautiously, he stepped over to the door and nudged it open a bit more. Peering inside, he saw the same few boxes. Not one to be so easily satisfied, he pulled the door open entirely, letting his eyes scan every inch of available space. A few other items had been thrown into the closet since the day before. Other than the boxes, there were a few articles of clothing strewn across the floor. There was a sock peeking out from beneath a box, a small book tossed carelessly to the side, and…He jerked his attention to the glint in the corner. Was that…? Bending over carefully, he stared down at his cracked reflection. As he pondered what a broken piece of a mirror was doing in the closet, a memory resurfaced. He recalled having found a similar shard of glass in the stream in Dark World. And that had taken him to someplace completely different. Not to mention the mirror in his bedroom had transported him to Juudai's world and formed a body according to what his spirit looked like. If that were the case, then perhaps these mirrors could cause spirits to have their own bodies. Perhaps a spirit had entered the room, and Juudai's mind, through this piece of glass? The thought baffled him, but he did not deem it completely impossible. He remembered the scene when he'd entered the room: Juudai with the same blank, emotionless stare and the pieces of glass strewn about him. Looking back down at his reflection, he figured then that his theory must be correct. He stared a little longer, beyond the depth of the glass, as though searching for answers. A flash caught his eye. Peering closer, he watched as katakana formed across the smooth surface.

"Shatter," He murmured, placing a finger and thumb on his chin, "Hmm."

It came to his attention that the mirror in Juudai's mind, the same one that had transported him back to his own body again, had read "restore." But this one read "shatter." He tried to think of what significance this might carry, but could think of none at the moment. Perhaps it was meaningless. Perhaps it was not to be revealed to him at the time being.

Suddenly wondering if the others could see it, he turned to Johan and Sho, gesturing towards the shard of glass. "Where did that come from?" He asked calmly.

Johan and Sho stared into the closet, confused expressions on their faces. They glanced at each other, then back at Haou. "There's nothing there but clothes and boxes," Johan finally said, "There's nothing in the corner you're pointing at." Sho only nodded in agreement.

Haou crossed his arms and refused to respond to this. So, they couldn't see it? Then what allowed him to see it? Was it all in his mind? Perhaps it was some sort of illusion…He couldn't be sure. Could something like that be purely a figment of his imagination? Impossible. It was only something that he and Juudai could see, apparently, at least for this particular case and at least for the time being.

With a sigh, he shut the closet door and strode back over to where Juudai was sitting. The sound of something moderately heavy bumping against the door caught his attention again. He thought at first that only he had heard it, until Johan and Sho moved to investigate. While they were preoccupied with the closet, Haou noticed something dart across the room. It was hard to discern what exactly it was, since it only seemed to be a shadow. He watched as it came to Juudai's feet and stopped. A second later, something came swiping through the air, leaving a deep scratch mark across the brunet's face. This snapped him out of his unresponsive state. With a little cry of surprise and pain, he scampered backwards, holding his cheek. At the same time, Haou whipped out the knife he concealed in his clothes and drove it into the blood-stained shadow on the floor. He gripped the handle tightly, his senses heightened in alert. The sound of Juudai's cry startled Johan and Sho. They turned around quickly, to see a very suspicious scene. Juudai was still backed up against the wall, panting, his eyes wide, and his hand over his bleeding cheek. Haou knelt in front of him, holding the knife stuck in the floor, which was covered in the same blood the shadow had been. Johan's eyes widened. Sho gasped.

"Aniki!"

Both boys rushed over to Juudai's side. However, Johan was the one to actually say something more. At that point, Sho was too stunned. The two boys helped Juudai to his feet, then, the teal haired duelist threw his arms around Juudai from behind, pulling him up against his chest and resting his chin on Juudai's soft brown hair, his eyes flashing in anger. He squeezed Juudai closer, protectively.

"Don't you EVER touch my Juudai like that again!" He snapped, breathing heavily.

Juudai blinked, wiping the blood from his cheek. "But, Johan, it wasn't--"

Johan looked down at him and shook his head. "Don't try to stand up for him. You can tell us the truth. Don't worry; neither Sho nor I will let anyone hurt you!"

Juudai wriggled in his grip. "It wasn't Haou!" He protested, "He didn't do anything to me, I swear! Besides, you really don't have to 'protect' me. Let me go please!"

Johan shook his head, determined. "I'm sorry, but I can't believe you after what I turned around to find."

Biting his lip, Juudai squirmed, trying to loosen Johan's vise-like grip enough for him to slip through. "Even if it WAS Haou I could still take care of it…I appreciate your concern but there's no need to go overboard! Please believe me. You have to…It wasn't him!"

"I don't see anyone else in this room that could've done that to you!" Johan argued.

Juudai opened his mouth to protest again, looking somewhat irked. However, before he could utter a word, Haou held up a hand and stepped forward. "You're mistaken. I did no such thing to him," He told Johan.

"Then what happened?" Johan asked, frowning, "Why are you so reluctant to offer any explanation?"

"Well, I would if you'd believe me," Haou muttered, turning away, "There's no point to letting an argument fall on deaf ears."

Johan hesitated. He seemed reluctant to give Haou a chance, but, for whatever reason, he did. Sighing, he relented. "All right, all right. What was it really?"

Haou glanced down at Juudai, who was giving Johan a bit of a look for restraining him. He crossed his arms over his chest and thought of some way he could explain it. "I do believe," He began slowly, "that we're dealing with a spirit of some sort. I could barely make it out; it was nothing more than a shadow on the floor. Anyway, it was what struck Juudai across the face, not me. I tried to pin it down, but it dissipated in thin air. Now you have your story."

Johan arched an eyebrow, looking skeptical. He exchanged a glance with Sho. "I don't know if I should believe you," He muttered.

"You should believe him," Juudai arguing, frowning, "because it's true. Now, really, Johan, I don't need to be coddled. If you could just loosen your grip…" When Johan failed to comply, Juudai got all the more frustrated. "Seriously, it's ONLY a scratch!"

"How bad your wound is does not concern me nearly as much as the intention behind it," Johan murmured, staring down at him, "I don't want you to be so trusting as to overlook any harm that comes your way!"

"I don't trust just anyone," Juudai protested, "Just because I'm friendly doesn't mean I trust them! Besides, I really don't think Haou would do something like that even if given the chance. I don't know…it's just a feeling."

Johan opened his mouth to say something more, only to be interrupted. The door opened, and Kenzan rushed back in with Ayukawa-sensei. "Aniki!" He called, "I have help for you-don!" Seeing that Juudai was self-aware again, his tone became one of confusion. "You're all right now?"

Juudai nodded. "I'm sorry that I made you come all the way down here," He apologized, grinning sheepishly, "I was just…sort of in a daze."

"Well, what happened?" Ayukawa-sensei asked curiously. She folded her arms and looked slightly concerned.

Looking around at all the expectant faces, Juudai laughed weakly and ran a hand through his hair. Then, he turned to shoot a look at Johan, who was still holding onto him with all his might. Johan refused to release him, so he turned back around and ignored it. "Well, I woke up this morning hearing some weird scratching noise in the closet. I thought that an animal might be trapped in there, so I opened it. It felt like a strong wind or force blew me back, there was a really loud noise, and then I sort of blacked out. I came to a little later, with Sho and Kenzan trying to talk to me. But the funny thing was, I couldn't talk back…I couldn't move at all! It was really weird."

Ayukawa-sensei nodded. "Well, I don't know what it could be then…That's very strange…Of course, strange things happen at this school. Who knows what could be coming next? I'm guessing that you were simply in a state of mental shock, that's all. Still, I'm going to look you over to make sure you're all right." She glanced at the cut, "And clean that up."

Juudai pouted. "I can clean it myself," He protested, "And I'm fine! It was nothing. Why do we have to make such a big deal out of it?"

"Well, we just want to make sure…" She told him gently, approaching him, "It won't take but a few seconds. If you'll just let me…"

Sighing, he relented, though he looked cranky about it. She kept her word. It only lasted a minute at most. Still, he seemed less than thrilled with the arrangement. Haou could not help but feel a little amused at his obvious discomfort. However, at the same time, he did not like the fact that everyone was fussing over Juudai so much. It was apparent that he didn't want it. And he was fine so why should they insist on forcing themselves on him? He especially didn't like the way that Johan would not release Juudai. For some reason, it stirred a sort of annoyance from deep within. He watched the two carefully, his eyes narrowing despite himself. Juudai caught his eye, and grinned, embarrassed to still be trapped in Johan's grasp. Obviously, he had no clue what Haou was thinking. Nor did he know what was upsetting him. Johan glanced up, locking his gaze with Haou's momentarily. Whereas Juudai had had no clue, it soon clicked in Johan's mind what was irritating the king. A bit of a frown came to his face, and he held Juudai all the closer. This, in turn, caused Haou to frown all the more. He didn't like Johan hanging on so persistently when it made Juudai so uncomfortable. Perhaps he didn't know what he was doing. Haou would give him the benefit of a doubt. He might've thought he was helping; however, he should've let go when Juudai asked him. He'd been holding on for far too long.

Ayukawa-sensei left then, with a brief word to Juudai to relax and not stress himself out so much, which invoked a little groan from the latter. Even after the door had shut, leaving the group to themselves, Johan continued to hold on. Juudai began to open his mouth to protest again, however, Johan complied with his wishes before he voiced them. Reluctantly, he released Juudai, only to grab him by the hand. Haou shot Johan a look as the transfer student started to drag poor Juudai out of the room.

"Where do you think you're taking him?" He demanded to know.

Johan frowned and tightened his grip on Juudai's wrist. "Back to my room."

"But I don't mind staying here!" Juudai protested, "It's Ok; you don't have to take me off anywhere."

"Relax," Johan told him, "It's not like I'm going to hold you hostage or anything. In fact, I only was going to take you somewhere where we could talk in private, that's all." That was only half of the truth. He also did not trust Haou with Juudai at the moment. Sooner or later, he knew he'd have to forget about it, since he seemed to be honest about not having hurt Juudai. Still, he did not want to take any chances. Secretly, he wanted to watch over Juudai to make sure he didn't get hurt again.

Much to his relief, Juudai bought the excuse. "Oh, all right," He relented, "I'll see you later, Haou."

Haou muttered something under his breath as he watched the two walk out the door. Kenzan and Sho murmured their goodbyes to Juudai, then glanced at each other. Apparently, they didn't know what to think of the situation either. They began to discuss it with each other in low voices, talking about how Johan had been acting extra clingy to their 'aniki.' Haou merely sat down on his cot, leaning against the wall and pretending to read; however, he was eavesdropping.

"I don't know what's gotten into Johan-don." Kenzan sighed, "He's been so edgy lately…"

Sho nodded in response. "He's hasn't been himself. And aniki seems to be spending more time with him than anyone else, especially these days."

"I've noticed that too-saurus," Kenzan sighed, "Not to mention the closer they seem to get, the more protective Johan becomes."

"And aniki might not like that, but he's ignored until now. He never says anything bad about Johan…and that's strange to think, especially since he's always talking about him!" Sho continued.

"They're a strange duo-saurus," Kenzan said, shaking his head and crossing his arms, "But they seem to really gravitate towards each other. They're so attached…I've never seen anything like it. It's almost like they share the same soul."

A loud slam startled the two boys. Looking up, they saw Haou's fist against the wall, his head lowered so his hair was falling in his eyes, masking his expression. However, his mouth was turned sharply down, indicating his displeasure. They watched in confusion as he got off the cot, and pushed roughly past them, storming out the door. He slammed it behind him. Kenzan and Sho exchanged a worried glance. This was getting more complicated than either of them could understand.

* * *

Juudai and Johan sat on the couch, oblivious to the feeling that they were not alone. The brunet sat with his arms crossed, curled up in the corner, against the armrest. A hint of a frown remained on his face, though his dark eyes were more troubled than angry. He swung his foot a little and didn't say anything for a few moments. Johan leaned against the back of the couch, using his knuckles to prop his chin up. He was trying to look hopeful, but his emerald eyes were melancholy. Coughing a little to get Juudai's attention, he laid a hand on the other's arm, and moved closer. A look of frustrated confusion crossed his features as Johan's hand moved up to his face. A certain amount of tenderness lingered in the European's eyes as he gently traced Juudai's jaw line with his finger. Swallowing hard, Juudai turned his face away, seeming uncertain and uncomfortable. This, in turn, frustrated Johan. He gently took Juudai's chin in between a finger and a thumb, forcing the other boy to make eye contact. A long silence hung heavy in the air. The two boys only stared at each other. Words did not need to be exchanged at first. They could understand each other sufficiently enough.

Swallowing hard, Johan dropped Juudai's face and leaned back in the couch cushions. He hung his head, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a little sigh. In response to this, Juudai leaned against the other's shoulder and wrapped an arm around his waist, giving him a tight squeeze. A small smile curved Johan's lips upwards. He reached up to ruffle Juudai's hair affectionately, though his smile soon faded to one of sorrow rather than joy. It was then that he finally spoke.

"You could never feel quite the same way about me that I feel about you," He murmured softly, almost inaudibly.

Juudai looked up in surprise. He looked concerned for his friend's sudden drop in mood. Although the other boy was smiling, he could see the raw emotion in Johan's shimmering sea green eyes; he was hurting. He wasn't sure what he could say in response, what he could say to ease the pain. Perhaps soothing words would do no good to heal the soul. It was action and emotion that Johan needed to _feel_. But what could he do? Biting his lip, he tried to think of something. Finally, he decided that if anything, he should first respond to Johan's comment.

"Johan," He placed a hand on the teal haired duelist's shoulder and smiled encouragingly, "Don't say that, Ok? Please don't tell me that you're going to give up on anything…"

"I can understand your pep talks but this one has to be the strangest one yet," Johan sighed, covering one of his eyes and his forehead with his hand, "I mean, it just is weird for you to be telling me not to give up on you…How can you help what you feel?"

Juudai cocked his head to one side and leaned a little towards Johan as the other turned slightly away. "Oh, come on. You should expect this from me. I just don't want to see you so upset, Ok? Don't ever think like that. I like you a lot. Come on, we're best friends, right?" He offered Johan another smile.

Johan glanced over at him. "I don't think you understand."

Juudai looked confused. "What do you mean? I know you're upset…but it's not like we're going to not be friends or anything. And don't think that I was really that upset with you earlier…I just didn't like being held that long…"

"No, that's not it!" Johan grabbed Juudai by the shoulders, startling the older boy, "It's just that I…I…never mind." He released Juudai and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, his eyes squeezed shut.

Juudai wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He patted Johan on the back, trying to comfort him. Then, he wrapped an arm around his shoulders, giving him another squeeze as he rubbed his shoulder. "I'm sorry…" He murmured, "I'm sorry I don't understand. I know you're frustrated but…please let me in. I want to help."

Johan nodded, but refused to say anything for a few moments. When he finally opened his eyes, he smiled weakly at the Osiris student. "I'm Ok now, really. I just got overwhelmed, all right? It's hard for me to think about this and to imagine…sometimes…living without you. And when you don't understand, I'm at a loss as to what to do. I know you _know_ deep down inside. That's not the problem. You just don't understand what you know…And that's what frustrates me. Such a simple word…can be such a difficult concept to grasp. I'm sorry if I tried to put too many expectations on you. I really never wanted that. I only want you to be comfortable and happy. But I kind of pressured you…I never meant it that way. Please forgive me and let me know if I start to do that again. It's just…it really upset me when I thought that someone might try to hurt you. I know you can take care of yourself. But it just made me so angry and hurt that anyone might even possibly try…I couldn't help but step up like that and stand up for you. I'm sorry I treated you like you were helpless. That wasn't my intention--to make you uncomfortable or demean you."

Juudai nodded and smiled. "Oh, it's all right. I understand that you never meant any harm as far as that was concerned. You were just trying to be a good friend. We can work together if there's any real trouble, Ok?"

"Sure," Johan agreed, looking sheepish, "I'll help you any day. And I'll be sure to treat you as an equal again from now on. Just let me know if I start acting like that again…"

"Oh, I will," Juudai laughed. Then, sounding more serious: "Now, what were you talking about when you said that I didn't understand what I knew?"  
There was a long pause. Johan's smile faded again, and he took on a more serious expression as well. He seemed to be thinking of how to respond. Finally, he shook his head. "Ah, it was nothing. I'm all right now. So don't worry about it, Ok?"

Juudai raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

After a moment's hesitation, Johan nodded. "Sorry…maybe some other time, Ok?"

Silence reigned between the two boys again. However, this time, it was not an uncomfortable silence. Though, Juudai could not help but feel as though Johan was hiding something from him…He glanced over at the European curiously. Deep inside, he had suspicions. Well, perhaps one could say that he knew. And Johan knew he knew. However, he did not understand the full extent of those feelings that Johan had, nor did he really know what to do about it. Frowning, he absentmindedly patted Johan's shoulder; though the other SEEMED fine…he most certainly was not. Perhaps he'd momentarily pushed the emotion in the back of his mind. Perhaps he had quelled it for the time being, but it would return sooner or later. And sooner or later, Johan was going to pose the inevitable question that Juudai would have to answer honestly. The day was both fast approaching and intimidating.

For the time being though, the boys had to forget about it. Juudai leaned against his friend's shoulder again and started a harmless conversation about Duel Monsters with him. They chatted for the rest of the afternoon and even dueled a few times. The palaver did them some good; they forgot entirely about the impending dilemma they would eventually have to face.

* * *

By dinner time, Haou was nowhere to be found. He'd wandered off to the west side of the island, and was sitting at the edge of a cliff, hanging his legs over and swinging them, looking highly exasperated. He didn't know what he was going to do with himself. How foolish could he be? Was he really actually considering such a horrific act as a possibility? But there was no denying it…No, he mustn't think such frivolity. He must keep focused on his ultimate goal: to acquire more information about Juudai's world so he might utilize the resources for himself. That was all the brunet was good for. Thinking this made a twinge of foreign emotion surface. Was he perhaps…guilty? He hated to think that he could be at the mercy of such noxious emotions. He'd seen uncountable leaders fall into the traps these emotions led to. Well, he would not be one of them. He would crush any guilt he felt for using Juudai to get what he wanted. After all, could he not use himself? Could he not use his own resources? Wasn't that what Juudai was there for? Perhaps he was thinking about it too much. Perhaps he simply needed to remind himself that Juudai would never know; he would never have to know.

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, letting the warm zephyr play with the umber strands of his hair, whipping them about his face. Clasping his hands on his knees, he thought about his other problem: Johan. Although the teal haired duelist could be useful, at the same time, he provided a greater threat to the king. After all, Johan was far more insightful and far sharper than Juudai. That was not saying that he was necessarily more intelligent. He simply picked up on things quicker than Juudai did. Even if Juudai had a good sense when it came to certain situations and people, this was not one of them, since Haou had resided for a long time in his mind and learned to block off certain things from the brunet. Not that Juudai had even known he was there. This caused him to roll his eyes a little. It vexed him so that Juudai remained oblivious and clueless about his true identity. Well, what did he expect? He had hidden from him in a sense, though he had tried to talk to him on many occasions. Ah, it just was not to be.

As for Johan…he provided more of a threat than sensing Haou's true aim. Already he had begun to suspect that Haou might be malicious, but at least he was not keeping Juudai entirely away from him…yet. This was another clear and imminent risk that Haou faced. After all, Johan had taken Juudai away for the afternoon. If he hadn't been so overly concerned with wanting the Osiris student to trust him, he might not have allowed it to occur. However, he took special precautions when it came to Juudai, ones he would not privilege anyone else with. But Johan's cynicism posed a threat to him. He could very well completely occupy Juudai's time. As it was, he was already doing that to some degree. However, if this pattern continued, Haou would have not a single second with which to inculcate Juudai with his requests and manner of thinking. The very possibility that Johan might be doing this on purpose—though unintentionally was bad enough—caused Haou to grind his teeth in rage. Clenching his fist, he slammed it into the ground a few times, trying to release his anger before he had to face Juudai again. He had to be calm and methodical about this. He must tell himself that he had another chance, a chance to make this right.

Feeling drained from thinking and feeling so much at once, he hunched over, placing his elbows on his knees and propping his chin in his hands. It was difficult at that point to discern exactly what he should do about this situation. Perhaps it was best to step back and let things play out. His plans did not seem as though they'd work at the time. All he'd be able to do was to try to glean any information he deemed useful. He'd already started on the task, but most of what he'd found he'd had no idea how to utilize. This world was far more confusing. Dark World had been set in a simpler time; it was far behind the advances of Juudai's world. He was being overwhelmed with so much at once; he didn't know where to start. Already he'd learned a bit about the different methods of communication merely from observation, and he'd learned of the different manners of transportation. But what he really wanted to know about was war. He'd yet to learn much on the subject. Although he'd recently come across some books in the library, he wasn't sure how valid they were, since they were fiction. This was getting more frustrating with every day. Not to mention that he was beginning to see how impossible a task lay before him. How would he conquer this world? It would take more manpower and planning than he'd accounted for originally. Thankfully he'd done research before jumping into it. And strangely enough, he was actually considering discarding the idea. After all, it seemed too much work for too little results. Not to mention that the people would probably easily overthrow him while his government organization was weak. If he wanted it to be even slightly plausible, then he'd need Juudai's help. But Juudai would definitely be against him taking over the world. He'd be more of a hindrance than a help. Haou had to find some way to convince him…though chances of that were slim, especially with Johan around. At this point, he considered sitting back and gathering what resources he could to take them back to Dark World and develop his power there, to possibly use in the conquer of other dimensions at a later date.

He massaged his temples, feeling a massive headache coming on. He left his head hanging for a few moments, his eyes closed as he basked in the late afternoon sunlight. The rays cast a golden glow about him, warming the exposed skin and making him feel sleepy. Drooping a little lower and looking down at the breakers crashing against the craggy rocks of the cliff below, he sighed heavily, feeling a little dizzy from exhaustion. He'd had such a long day already. It really took it out of him. He decided it was probably a good idea to be heading back. By then, he'd worked himself up quite a bit, and was feeling melancholy.

He stretched his cramped, sore limbs out and proceeded to stand, where he brushed a few blades of grass from his clothes and jammed his hands in the pockets of his dark gray jeans. Since he didn't feel any need to rush, he took a slow walk down towards the Osiris dorm, sort of ambling. It had been awhile since he'd been able to take life so slow. He'd always been working or doing _something_. And suddenly he found himself having all the time in the world and nothing to do…It left him with an incredibly empty feeling. He felt lacking, idle. Life did not contain the same degree of fulfillment that it had when he'd been an important figure. He felt as though he were not a crucial part of anyone's life. As much as he hated to admit it, he just wanted someone--just _one_ person--that would need him in some way. If he could mean something to someone, if he could have a reasonable place in society, then his existence wouldn't be so meaningless.

Quickly, he shook this thought from his mind. It was annoying how human nature kicked in at the most inopportune of times. As much as he tried to tell himself _not_ to feel, though, it did not go away. The ache--the interminable suffering that one endures after banishing himself to a life of loneliness--remained no matter how much he denied it, no matter how much he pushed it down. It continued to rise and intensify, until he felt like he could not take it anymore. Stopping in the middle of the path, he swallowed hard, trying to forget. If he just filled the gaping hole with work, then he wouldn't feel it. But he had no work. He had to have a distraction of some sort. Perhaps some companionship would do for a few minutes to help him forget. Grumbling to himself about finding someone to talk to, he continued to stalk off towards the Osiris dorm. He figured that Juudai and Johan were still preoccupied, but continued to hope that they would be there. Feeling grim, he wished he hadn't spied on them for the first half of the day. It had been a waste of his time. Or, at least, that was what he convinced himself.

By the time he reached the Osiris dorm, the sun was setting and painting streaks and splashes of pink and purple across the cerulean sky. He paused at the sliding door to the cafeteria for a moment to take the sight in; it was a rather breathtaking view, especially with the amber and orange rays reflecting off the shimmering, glassy surface of the ocean. The light cast shadows from the trees to the rich earth, the leaves blowing softly in the ever present wind and rustling like a carefully orchestrated melody. The soft, golden glow seeped through the leaves, causing them to seemingly radiate a deep, emerald hue. Having seen nothing of the sort in Dark World, he was awestruck. The natural beauty was possibly one of the best things about Juudai's world. It almost made him feel remorse for having to leave. After a moment, he shook himself out of the state and entered the cafeteria.

When his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw that it was already packed with students. Grimacing, he made his way down the aisle, ignoring the obvious stares and whispers. Ever since he'd beaten Johan, he'd gained some popularity. Not because of the fact that he'd beaten Johan, really--though that in itself was enough since he was a champion in Europe--but mostly because of how he'd beaten him. While his status at the Academia was crucial to his success, it did not matter to him at that moment. He just wanted someone to talk to, or rather, a lackey to order around. Since neither Johan nor Juudai were in the cafeteria, Manjoume fit the bill. Spotting the ebony haired teen sitting in the back corner, sulking over his tray of food, Haou made his way over and sat across from him, frowning. There was a bit of a silence between them, though Manjoume did acknowledge his arrival. However, neither of them really knew how to start a conversation. This was not to say that Haou was lacking in communication skills--it was quite the opposite--but he still was not sure how to start a casual conversation. This made things awkward.

The two boys stared at each other for several minutes, neither sure of what to say. Haou finally broke the silence when he decided to gather some information. "So," He began, frowning a little as he picked his chopsticks up, "where are Johan and Juudai?"

Manjoume shrugged. "Who knows? They're probably either on the rooftop or out by the cliff, if they're not in their rooms. But if you find one, you'll most surely find the other." His own scowl deepened, and he sunk low in his seat, sulking. "Why'd you want to know?"

"I can't ask a simple question to satisfy my curiosity?" Haou glowered a bit.

"Oh, sorry," Manjoume sounded embarrassed, "I just thought you might have a specific reason…"

Haou did have a specific reason, but that was none of Manjoume's concern. Besides, he wanted to keep an eye on Juudai. He didn't want the brunet to get too involved with Johan, though it seemed that was what had happened already. Perhaps he could use Manjoume to make sure they never were alone. Yes, Manjoume could be his spy. A hint of a faint smirk twitched on his lips.

"You know," He remarked, taking a bite of his fish, "I think there is a way you can help me."

Manjoume looked up, somewhat suspiciously. "Well, why should I help you when you haven't even helped me yet? How do I even know that you will help me at all?"

Haou sent him a sideways glare, his amber eyes flashing. "I think you'd better listen to me if you want my guidance at all. I might retract my offer. After all, I could find anyone else that could help me as much as you could, if not more." This was merely a threat to get Manjoume to do what he wanted, but of course the other boy didn't know that.

Frowning, Manjoume pondered this bit of information while he chewed his food. Finally, he swallowed and replied. "If you could've found someone else to do the job better for you, then what do you need me for?"

Haou scowled. "In that case, I suppose you don't want my help. After all, you are asking an awful lot of questions."

Manjoume shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant! Aw, screw it." He sighed heavily in exasperation. "What do you want?"

"I want you to keep and eye on Juudai and Johan. Make sure that they're never completely alone with each other." The request did not seem too far-fetched for him. He asked this without so much as blinking.

Manjoume, however, was taken aback. "You want me to disrespect Juudai's privacy? Why would I want to listen in to their conversation anyway?"

Haou shrugged. "That is not pertinent. I asked you to do me a favor. I expect you to keep your word. We made a deal." He reminded Manjoume dryly, his eyes narrowing, "If you go back on your word and cross me…"

"I just don't think it's necessary; that's all," Manjoume pointed out, rolling his eyes, "I don't want to waste my time with them. They're harmless. They're not worth your time either."

Haou gritted his teeth in agitation. He wanted to teach Manjoume a lesson then and there, but knew better. After all, he didn't have much power in this world. Instead, he sat back and glared at the ebony haired teen, his mouth set in a straight, thin line. He was not used to his requests being declined in such a manner. This angered him to no end. But what could he do? Perhaps he should let this go and find something else for Manjoume to do. After all, he could be very useful. He would give the boy a chance to redeem himself. Thinking about his request again, he realized that it had been too far-fetched, then deemed that it was, indeed, unreasonable. He had to be more subtle about this.

With a great sigh, he waved it off. "Very well. You're…right…" It pained him so to admit his error. But he would do it if he were truly wrong and if it were necessary.

They ate in silence for several minutes. Haou had to admit that Manjoume was not doing a very good job at distracting him or filling the void. The other boy didn't say much for awhile, except to occasionally complain or brag, trying to impress the king. However, nothing he said impressed him; rather, it disgusted him. No 'accomplishments' he'd made held any merit in Haou's eyes. Manjoume began to rant, hardly noticing the sullen expression on Haou's face. He griped about several students he'd encountered, then changed the subject to some small, private party he was hosting in his quote 'grand' room. Parties did not interest the king in the least. He'd been to more than his fill in his previous lifetime. He was most certainly not concerned with Manjoume's petty social affairs, particularly his obsession with the blonde named Asuka. However, what did pique his interest was when Manjoume mentioned that Johan and Juudai were going to be there.

"You can drop by too, if you'd like," Manjoume continued, pulling a slip of paper out of his jacket and scribbling something on it, before handing it to Haou, "I don't care if you come or not. It's entirely up to you. I'm only having this party because the others insisted, and my room was big enough. It's nothing fancy, just a little get-together." Grumbling a bit, he leaned back in his chair.

Haou looked at the little slip of paper, which had Manjoume's room number and the time scrawled sloppily on it. He sighed and pocketed it, deciding that he might check it out later, just to keep tabs on Johan and Juudai. Granted, he was not particularly happy with the arrangement, nor was he happy with the thought of attending one of these ridiculous 'get-togethers,' not matter how small it was. However, he just nodded and murmured that he would consider it. He noticed a glint of hope in Manjoume's eyes, though he tried to cover it up by looking nonchalant. It disgusted him how obviously obsessed the other boy was with him. How could one be so awestruck over one duel? Even if the rumors about Johan were true, he still didn't understand it.

He sat in the cafeteria with Manjoume until it was mostly empty, dueling him with their cards set out on the table instead of with duel disks. He treated it as a teaching game, where he showed Manjoume where he was wrong with his strategies and why. Perhaps keeping his end of the deal would encourage Manjoume to obey his commands. Not to mention it was worth his time to train the black clad Osiris, since he was so full of potential.

By the time it was dark, Juudai and Johan still had not come in, at least, from Haou's point of view. This struck him as being uncharacteristic of Juudai. The brunet would never miss a meal. So where was he? He tried to push his concern down, but after what had happened earlier, he could not help it. Not to mention he worried what Juudai might be doing with Johan. He flashed back to the scene he'd come across earlier, where Johan had nearly kissed the other boy. Well, at least Juudai had given no indication to whether or not he was going to return the affection. That didn't mean that it didn't bother him, though.

Finally, he could stand it no longer. He had to know where they were. Leaning back in his seat a little, he asked casually, "Did Juudai come and eat before I arrived?"

"Come to think of it, no," Manjoume answered, looking puzzled. Then, pouting: "He probably went to the Obelisk cafeteria with Johan if that's the case. Sometimes they eat there because of the large variety of food. Or when they have a special meal…Not often but…You know how those two are about food." He rolled his eyes.

"I see," Haou looked thoughtful for a moment, then stood. "I have to be going." Before Manjoume could protest or bid him good night, he'd walked out the door.

Instead of going to the Obelisk dorm, he merely returned to Juudai's room, hoping the other boy would be there. However, he didn't really expect to see him since he figured he'd be with Johan. When he stepped in the room, he found that it was empty. He wondered where Sho and Kenzan had gotten to, then figured that they might be out somewhere dueling. With a sigh, he flopped down on the cot and waited for Juudai to come back. He most certainly hoped that the boy wasn't going to spend the night at Johan's.

Almost as if on cue, the brunet stepped through the door, his hair wet. He smiled at Haou and sat on the edge of his bed, drying his hair with the towel he was holding. His smile soon turned to a look of concern, though.

"What's wrong?" He asked, tilting his head a bit to one side.

Having not expected this question, Haou looked up quickly, surprised. "What do you mean?"

Juudai smiled softly. "You seem sad…"

"Oh," Haou grumbled to himself a moment, remembering that Juudai could pick up on just about any emotion he had. It irked him to have them in the first place. It seemed so long since he'd had to deal with them. "I'm fine."

Throwing the towel aside, Juudai stood and took a few steps over to the cot, which he plopped down on, crossing his legs and looking at Haou expectantly. "Well, we're alone. So if you want to talk about it…"

By no means was Haou going to admit that he was jealous of Johan. As it was, he was sullen since Juudai had figured out that he was upset. "I don't want to talk about it." He insisted.

"Oh, come on, talking makes it better!" Juudai prodded, poking Haou in the cheek and grinning widely.

Unable to help it, Haou felt another ache through his heart, and he felt almost as though he could tell Juudai. However, this was impossible. He pushed the feeling down until he was sure he was completely emotionless again. It only lasted for several seconds before the ache returned. He swallowed hard around the growing lump in his throat and sighed. "I just…don't feel well," He grumbled, trying to make an excuse.

Juudai's expression changed to one of sympathy. "Are you sick?"

"I suppose you could say that," He muttered, irate.

He was sick all right. Sick in the head for thinking what he'd been thinking. He knew deep down inside that he was insane—he'd always been—but what could he do about it? His will would only do so much. How could he cease the sudden barrage of emotion that beat upon him until he was senseless? He'd been cold for so long; he didn't know how to deal with it. It seemed as though all his years had caught up to him in a rather disagreeable manner so that it turned his stomach at a thought. But it wasn't just the loneliness. The bitter distaste of longing lingered in his mouth. He longed for more in his life. He felt as though his years had been wasted, all his accomplishments done so in vain. After all, he was missing a crucial piece of his soul: compassion. And that wasn't all that sickened him. He was also missing the companion of compassion: love. Not to say romantically speaking. Rather, he lacked any sort of love at all. He'd never thought that he could need it. It hindered one and made him harm his own existence for the sake of a friend. But while he'd never understood it before—and still did not—he had observed that people seemed happier with someone to care about. Was that why he was so miserable? Because he did not have a friend in the world? Perhaps he was being naïve for once. After all, his philosophy had always been to use those around him and keep them at a distance. However, he was beginning to think that perhaps he'd been wrong.

Before he could linger in the thought any longer, Juudai patted him on the arm and told him, "Well, if you ever need to talk, I'm here, Ok? Even if you need to talk in the middle of the night. Just wake me up."

Haou was a little startled at this. Why would Juudai sacrifice his sleep, which he so valued, for his sake? Well, perhaps it was just the kind thing to do. Juudai was a very caring person. He possessed all the qualities that Haou felt he lacked. "Well, all right," He reluctantly agreed.

As he rolled over to try to get some sleep, he thought more about Juudai's offer. Perhaps he would take him up on it one day. But he wasn't ready to open up to anyone yet. Perhaps he would never be. At least he knew he had Juudai to count on. It was somewhat comforting, though he severely reprimanded himself for trusting the brunet so much. He warned himself not to get too close, though he knew deep down inside that he wouldn't be able to help it since they were the same person. In the meantime, he took comfort in the fact that Juudai was there and that he did care about him. It felt nice. Maybe they weren't friends yet. Maybe Haou would never accept Juudai as a friend. But at least he knew he had a companion, and someone he could use. This was enough for him…at that time, anyway. Subconsciously, he knew that he wouldn't be satisfied with merely using people. He needed someone to confide in and understand him, whether he liked to admit it or not. The dreaded weakness and fear washed over him as he started to drift asleep. He was alone. He was cold. His last thought as he slipped into a subconscious state was that he _did_ need a friend.

* * *

**A/N: I hope that wasn't too far-fetched. -.- I'm trying to transition and develop the character SLOWLY. But I'm not sure I'm doing a good job. Please let me know. I felt as though my style in this chapter was rather detached…the transitioning not so smooth. And I was redundant with "brunet." Ugh. Any suggestions to what I could call Juudai besides "the brunet," "the Osiris student," etc? Bah I revised that last part several times…I just feel as though a couple of transitions from paragraphs were rough. DX But I did my best. Might try to fix it later cuz I can't do that now until I think on it some more…Ah well.**


	9. Chapter 9: Mortality

**A/N: Um…I might forget what I had planned…I hope I don't. Why am I even bothering with an A/N? I have nothing to say! O.o**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX. But I wish I did. Cuz then I could make them make the sub into DVDs available at a low price for the US and then we would have plenty of GX and I'd make them show it on TV too at the same time as 5Ds even though I don't like 5Ds that much and…Ok, I'm shutting up.**

* * *

Chapter 9: Mortality

Haou lay on his back on the cot, staring up at the ceiling, his legs dangling off the edge. He had been lying there like that for the past several hours, thinking and arguing with himself. It was partially because there was something on his mind, and partially because he had nothing else to do. He could not get the thought out of his head that he should try to get to know Juudai a little better. Even though they were the same person, he hadn't spent much time with him while he had been in this state. And seeing Juudai interacting with all his friends made Haou somewhat curious to what it was like to be close to someone. He supposed it wouldn't hurt since it was only Juudai…Or perhaps it would hurt all the more. He knew very well that he shouldn't let himself get so attached. After all, he just wasn't that type of person. He couldn't let himself get the least bit sentimental over anything or anyone. One day that person or object might be taken from him. Besides, it wasn't in his nature. So why did he feel so drawn to Juudai? It was a problem that baffled him.

Sighing, he sat up and pulled the crumpled piece of paper with Manjoume's room number out of his pocket. That little 'get-together' of his was taking place that evening. It had already started, actually, but he hadn't gone. Why? He wasn't really sure. Perhaps he just wasn't the social type. He preferred to be alone. However, Juudai was there…and so was Johan. At least they weren't alone with each other. Still, he thought he should go a bit later to check on them. Perhaps he might even go then. After all, he had nothing better to do.

Slowly, he got to his feet and wandered around the cramped room for a moment, feeling somewhat lost. He was not quite sure what he was supposed to do. As a youth, he'd had to prepare for parties. But things had drastically changed since then. Was he expected to do something similar? If so, then how was he to prepare? He really had no idea what to do. But he had to be presentable! He considered calling Juudai to ask what he should do, but decided against it. There wasn't anything else for him to wear, except for his old clothes, and he had already bathed, so there wasn't much for him to do. Finally, he opted to just go over as he was. If he recalled correctly, Juudai had exited the room in the same clothes he usually wore. So perhaps he should follow suit. Though Juudai wasn't exactly role-model material. He would have to trust his instincts on this one. Even if he considered it to be an important matter to be presentable and make a good impression.

After debating with himself for another moment, he finally headed for the door. The night air was cool, though not unpleasantly so. Stepping out onto the landing, he stared up at the clear night sky to see the sparkling white jewels scattered across the darkness. They provided just enough light for him to see the steps, which he descended slowly, gripping onto the railing. The wind tussled his hair slightly as he rounded the building to find the addition to the Osiris dorm which was Manjoume's room. He stopped outside the door momentarily, so he could check the crumpled paper again, just to make sure. Well, it appeared that he had found it all right. He was not exactly thrilled about going, but something inside him told him that maybe he should. Perhaps it was the boredom talking. He would have to find something better to do with his time. In the meanwhile, he was already there, so he might as well join them. But first, perhaps he should spy on Juudai. After all, he wanted to know if the brunet acted differently around him. He wanted to see what Juudai and Johan were up to. Honestly, he didn't trust those two. Especially not together. Perhaps that had been his sole reason for coming in the first place. Perhaps he could just watch--as rude as that might be--and then go about his business. If he could find anything to occupy his time… How he hated being so idle!

He looked around for a window. Anything would have done, really. It took him a minute of inspection before he found one on the side. He sidled up against the wall and peered sideways into the window, making sure he was concealed from their view. Somehow, he still managed to get a decent view of the teens inside. From where he stood, he could see that it was not just a small get-together as Manjoume had originally said. It looked as though he had crammed half the student population in his dorm room, though it was quite obvious that was not the case. However, there was a large party going on. It took him a moment to spot Johan and Juudai sitting next to each other on a green couch, along with Asuka, Kenzan, and Sho. Manjoume was standing in front of the couch, frowning and talking to a shorter girl with long, black hair and large brown eyes. She had her hands on her hips and a pout on her face. The group on the couch was watching silently, somewhat dumbfounded as the party continued despite the obvious spat Manjoume and the girl were having. Haou turned his gaze back towards Johan and Juudai to find, much to his dismay, the brunet sprawled across Johan's lap, his knees pulled up slightly as he leaned up against the other boy's arm and shoulder.

Clenching his teeth and grinding them together, he sighed in exasperation. This would not do at all. He didn't want to go inside, but it was rather looking as though he'd have to, especially since he wanted to hear what was going on. Just seeing what was being said wasn't enough. Perhaps he could use Juudai's eyes and ears since he could probably do that, but as they were, it was too much of a pain and would expend a lot of energy on his behalf. It'd be easier if he went in. That way, not only could he keep an eye on the other boy, but he could also stop him if he tried to do something silly.

He rounded the building until he was standing in front of the door. Grumbling to himself, he slowly pushed it open a crack, just so he could observe the environment and the behavior before jumping in. He crouched down and watched in disgust as the teenagers danced to the loud music and talked noisily amongst themselves, obviously having too much of a good time. It most certainly wasn't like the parties he'd been to before.

Movement from the couch caught his eye. Juudai had stood up and was walking toward the middle of the room, accompanied by Johan. At first, Haou was not sure what they were up to. However, it soon became clear as they pushed past the party-goers in order to get to the refreshments table. Leaning closer as the two boys began to have a conversation, laughing every then and again, Haou wished he knew what they were saying. Even if he did listen from inside Juudai's mind, it would be difficult to tell, since it was so loud in the room. He wondered how they could even hear each other. Or perhaps they were good at reading lips…He might have been able to read their lips, too, had it not been for the people that kept getting in the way. It was growing more and more difficult to watch them from that spot.

He was able to catch enough glimpses of them to see that they were hungrily devouring the snacks laid out on the table. He really wished they would not be so crude about it. Table manners never hurt anyone. Then again, Juudai wasn't exactly the formal type. But that did not excuse him from obligatory behavior. He and Juudai were just going to have to have a crash course in etiquette. As for Johan…There really was no need for him to follow Juudai's poor example. Surely, he had more class than that. If he must, then Haou would train the both of them.

Juudai and Johan finished their snacks, surprisingly enough. Then, Juudai said something to Johan, which the other agreed to with a nod. Taking Juudai by the hand, Johan led him out into the crowd once again. Haou frowned and craned his head, trying to see where they'd gone. Much to his dismay, he found that they were dancing most disgracefully to the rambunctious music. He didn't even see how what some of the teens were doing was considered acceptable. At least Juudai and Johan weren't behaving quite so obscenely. They were not grinding all over each other like some of the other kids were. At least, not yet. He sure hoped they wouldn't. As for the time being, all they were doing was making fools of themselves. But they seemed to be having a good time, nonetheless. Haou figured that they would have to learn to dance properly too. Or Juudai would in the very least.

His opinion of the two boys at that point wasn't the best, but he was glad that they hadn't stooped down to the level of those around them. He thought somewhat well of them for resisting this, and relieved. However, his satisfaction turned to deep dismay when he realized they'd stopped and were observing those around them. Juudai had noticed. And it appeared as though they were talking about it, by the way they were gesturing and shrugging. Hopefully, that meant they wouldn't understand it and would forget it. Alas, it was not to be so. Juudai seemed to be pressing Johan for information. And the European seemed to feel uncomfortable about whatever it was Juudai was asking.

His dismay soon turned to sheer disgust as Juudai imitated some of the lesser radical dance moves he saw, looking curious. Johan shook his head, looking as though he felt defeated. A few more words were exchanged between the two, until Juudai's puzzled expression turned to one of embarrassment. It didn't take him but a moment to recover, though, and soon they were fooling around just like before, as though nothing had happened. They ignored those around them, as well, much to Haou's relief. Although, the other people didn't quite ignore them. They received some strange looks, though no one said or did anything about it. After all, it was typical for Johan and Juudai to behave in this sort of manner. They were merely playing around, and they weren't doing anyone any harm. Haou was sure that one day they'd look back on their behavior with shame. At least he hoped they would. He was definitely going to talk to them about it. They needed to know the appropriate manner in which to conduct themselves in public.

After a few more minutes of casual observation, Haou had had enough. He was ready to either call it a night, call Juudai to come back to the dorm room, or go inside and make sure that nothing more happened to the two boys. A moment's pondering was all he needed to decide to return to the dorm room and call Juudai. He'd find some way of luring the brunet away from the licentiousness of that accursed party. He didn't want his mind to be corrupted any more than it already had been. Just as he was straightening up, the door flung open. This startled him a bit, but he maintained his calm composure.

"I wondered why the door was cracked," Manjoume grumbled, crossing his arms, "Why didn't you just come in?"

Haou refused to answer. The reason he had chosen to stay outside was none of Manjoume's business. He didn't have to answer if he didn't want to.

Manjoume, though, didn't press for any information. Instead, he grabbed Haou's wrist and dragged him inside before he had time to think. It came so suddenly, he yielded and soon found himself in the very midst of the chaos. "Well, you don't have to stand out there, you know. I wish you hadn't. I've been waiting for you."

Haou grumbled something beneath his breath. He didn't appreciate being dragged inside. It was even louder than he'd expected. It annoyed him to no end. If he hadn't wanted to use Manjoume to his advantage, he might've told him flat out that he was leaving. However, he felt he needed to be somewhat polite in order to obtain what he wanted in return. So, he would stay for the time being. Not to mention it was better to watch Juudai and Johan from the inside. He could get a better view of them. At least, he would have had Manjoume not dragged him out into the sea of people.

"What are you--?" He began, only to cut himself off. He surely hoped that Manjoume was not going to try to do to him what the other people were doing…

"Come on, just relax already, will you?" Manjoume told him, looking exasperated, "You're always so uptight. Just have some fun for once, Ok?"

"Fun?" Haou scoffed, "By humiliating myself in such a demeaning manner? I refuse to stoop to such a level."

"Uh…" Manjoume didn't know how to respond to this comment. "You're not like most teenagers…"

Haou wished he could tell him that was because he was not one. However, he could not. Not to mention it was not exactly true, since he had the body of a teenager. Perhaps he seemed older than the rest of them, having the body of about nineteen years, but that did not mean he was as puerile as an individual of that age. Neither did he enjoy being around people who displayed such gross immaturity. He decided that nothing was going to prevent him from leaving.

"Anyway," Manjoume coughed, looking as though he felt awkward due to Haou's silence, "don't you want to, I don't know, get something to drink or dance or talk or _something_?"

Shuddering inwardly, Haou shook his head. He really just wanted to leave. "I didn't know you were going to behave so crudely at these 'get-togethers' of yours," He commented, frowning, "I don't want to stay. I'd rather go back to my room. Now, if you'll excuse me--"

"Come on!" Manjoume protested, "There's got to be something that will get you to stay!"

Haou's eyes slid in his direction. "Why are you so intent on me staying?" He crossed his arms over his chest and gave the other a pointed look.

"Uh…" Manjoume paused as he tried to think of the right way to answer.

Feeling annoyed, Haou mentally waved it off. "Thank you for inviting me," He said with an air of formality, "but this is really not my cup of tea. I will take my leave now."

Manjoume looked disappointed; however, he knew to stop pushing it. The look that Haou was giving him indicated his no nonsense attitude--he would be getting his way and there was no stopping him. "Well, all right," Manjoume finally sighed, "I guess I'll see you later then."

Haou gave a curt nod in his direction then started to weave his way through the crowd. He was relieved that soon he'd be out in the open air, away from all these individuals. Part of him wished for a second that he could convince Juudai to come with him. Casting a quick glance in the brunet's direction, he couldn't help but feel somewhat awkward and lonely, especially when he saw him with Johan. Everyone already had such a tight knit group. It made him uncomfortable. Of course, he could always work his way in easily. Not to mention they seemed pretty accepting. That wasn't what bothered him. He couldn't quite describe it. Perhaps it was only because of Johan and Juudai's close relationship. He wanted to be that close to Juudai. Whether he liked to admit it or not, he was horribly jealous of Johan.

He reminded himself that he already had technically been accepted by their group. Even if he had not been, it was not like he couldn't do it. Perhaps he was the reason he wasn't getting anywhere. After all, he was the only one inflicting any misery on himself. Still, he couldn't swallow his pride. He just could not go up to Juudai and have a light conversation with him. That was not his nature. Sometimes, he almost wished he could change. Almost. He had to remind himself that he had more important things to do than make friends with the Osiris student. He had a goal in mind, and that would only get in his way. After all, what if he ended up hurting Juudai accidentally? What if Juudai somehow got involved too deeply and got killed? It was risky business and he couldn't have Juudai overstepping his boundaries and doing things that he hadn't commanded. He had to remember that he and Juudai could _not_ be anything closer than they already were. They were the same soul and that would have to suffice. He told himself the ache would go away eventually.

As he walked back to Juudai's dorm room, he found himself thinking about Johan again. He wondered why he revisited thoughts of Juudai and Johan constantly. It was almost as if he couldn't shake them from his mind at all. All the same, he didn't prevent himself from continuing in the thought pattern. Instead, he was too concerned about how he regarded the transfer student.

Although it was true that he could use Johan in his plans and he actually sometimes felt as though he might _like_ the teal-haired boy, he was also terribly envious. Maybe he and Johan could get along. If it wasn't for Juudai, that was. Something about the brunet made him feel far too possessive. He didn't want to risk the chance of losing him. He wanted to be close to him. To be honest, he would like to be close to Johan as well. Perhaps that was because Juudai was close to him and he was half of Juudai. He couldn't help but feel a draw towards the European. Even if he didn't like him at times. Even if he felt as though he just plain _hated_ him at times. That didn't change the fact that he wished he could be like Juudai. Just once, he would like to try to live life like he was someone else. He had always wondered if it would have been better that way.

Sighing heavily and feeling exhausted, he pushed open the door to the dorm room. It felt strange for the cramped space to be empty and quiet. Usually it was packed with Juudai's friends. Slowly, half-heartedly, he made his way over to the cot and dropped onto it. He lay on his stomach, his face in the pillow and his arm hanging over the edge of the bed for a few moments, too worn out to move. Finally, he rolled on his side, trying to get comfortable. Even though he'd grown used to the cot, it was still highly uncomfortable. Juudai's bed was looking more than tempting. It seemed a lot more comfortable than the small, set-up cot against the wall, which was lumpy and uneven. He rolled off of the cot and climbed onto an actual _mattress_. Oh, it felt so much better than a sagging cot! He had only been planning to lie on the bed for a few moments then get up and work ahead on his homework. However, he was comfortable. Without meaning to, he found himself drifting off to sleep. His eyelids felt so heavy…The last thing he remembered was wondering when Juudai would be coming back as he slipped into a subconscious state of mind.

* * *

_Cold, stiff links of metal snaked around his hot, bare skin. They dug into his wrists and curved up his arm, ending at the metal band clasped tightly around his throat. Shackles encased his ankles as well, so tightly that he felt his feet becoming numb. The chains around his legs cut into the delicate skin, sending burning sensations up and down his spine. The pain was almost unbearable. His nerves were on fire, screaming at him to end the torment. Struggling against his bonds, he tried desperately to free himself, so he might escape the agony. The more he resisted the bonds, the more his body cried out to him for mercy. His muscles tensed, twitching and tensing as the electric hot sensations ran up and down his spine, causing his trim, weakened body to twist and writhe._

_He yanked at the cuffs around his wrists, straining the bonds in hopes that the metal would fatigue. He only succeeded in exhausting his own energy. When he finally collapsed to the cold, stone ground, panting and covered in heavy sweat, every inch of him enduring unspeakable suffering, he realized he had lost the fight. A soft giggle came from the thick ebony of the night which surrounded him on all sides, trapping him in an icy fog. Immediately, his ears pricked; his muscles tensed all the more as he prepared to spring. He felt a slight pressure against his back: the pressure of a gentle hand being run over his tender skin. The hand stroked his spine, running up and down rhythmically. It drifted over his shoulder blades and neck, gingerly touching every exposed inch of his back. He felt warm, moist breath on his neck, causing the hairs to stand up. Slowly, something wet touched against his hot pulse, and ran down his throat, cooling his heated skin. The muscle ran over his neck for several moments, trailing saliva down to his collarbone. He stiffened and tried to pull away. Before he could, a second presence made itself known._

_He heard the first creature--who had ceased in showering him with the unwanted affection--let out a surprised cry. Craning his neck to try to catch a better glimpse, he gasped, his molten amber eyes widening. A flash of teal and orange caught his gaze; it seemed angry yet at the same time frightened. Before he had time to register it any further, it was gone. A more ominous atmosphere fell around him. Something cold and somewhat slimy ran against his back, before curling around his waist and his chest. He thrashed against the bonds and the wicked grasp, doing everything in his will to release himself of the self-inflicted curse. He refused to be brought down without a fight. He would not fall as he had so feared. He would never relinquish his pride or his throne! A muffled screech erupted from betwixt the lips of the wretched beast as he bent backwards, grasping the loosened chain tightly in one hand, and smite it across the muzzle. Carmine slits glowed in the darkness, sending chills up and down his spine. He recognized the beast…it was the same one from before. His breath hitched in his already tightened throat. He would not admit helplessness; he COULD handle himself. _

_As he stared into the face of death itself, his mouth drying, he felt a strange sense of further recognition. Whereas before he had been far too preoccupied with Juudai to care about the beasts' resemblance, he could then properly identify it. Flashes of portraits entered his fogged mind. He had seen creatures that resembled this one quite a bit in his past life…However, he had never seen one face-to-face in existence. He had scoffed at it, waved it off as pure myth. Perhaps humans did have it wrong. Perhaps they had thought that there was only one. But there was not. If anything, others had encountered these creatures. And he had written it off as pure foolishness! He had inwardly laughed at the tales he had heard, carried from the heart of Egypt, depicted through scenes of the omnipresent and ever popular Book of the Dead. But he was not laughing at the moment as he stared into those crimson eyes. That gaze was enough to kill in itself. Alas, if that was not a bad omen then nothing was. _

_Perhaps it was a demon that had taken on the appearance of the fabled god. Perhaps it was all in his head. He could not be sure. But he was at its mercy at the moment. And there seemed to be no way to escape. Of course, he had his own superstitions about spirits, which only made this incident worse. If he could help it, he would do as he had always done and outsmart his downfall, outsmart death. He must find a way to con his way out of it. At any rate, he knew he was smart enough, strong enough. Question was, was fate on his side?_

_Then again, he did not need fate. Juudai had shown him that much. At a time, he had been as foolish as the others had been, as the peasants had been. Their lives were ruled by superstition and fear. And he realized how hypocritical he was to feel scorn towards those who practiced rituals to ward away evil spirits and to secure a proper future, to please fate. He had done it as well, only with different ideas. But everyone was the same in the end. He could see, then, that Juudai had taught him he did not need to worry about destiny or superstition. They defied destiny. At least, Juudai did. And it was because he did not believe in it. Perhaps if Haou refused to believe in this entity, it would disappear as well._

_Quickly, he remembered how he had rid of the beasts before. He felt stupid for not having recalled earlier. Then again, he was considerably weakened and in a great deal of pain. Not to mention the incredible aura of power surrounding the beast was immense, far more so than before. Still, it was worth a try. He could at least hope that some good would come of it. Perhaps it would free him from his bonds. Since he had nothing to lose, he exerted the pressure on the creature, his fiery eyes flashing, the bitter taste of choler and indignation rising in his throat. How dare anyone defy him, the king! How dare anyone try to rule over him, to overthrow him, to tell him what he should do! No one would rule his life. He was his own master and anyone that believed otherwise would be swiftly exterminated. His determination and anger fueled him, empowering him with the energy he needed._

_Perhaps it would have been enough. Perhaps he would have succeeded. Only, the monster had gained far too much power since their last encounter. A low, menacing growl erupted from the beast's throat, followed by a screech of pain. Wondering if he was making any progress, he released his energy at near full strength. It was an emergency. He had to use as much as he could without it being hazardous to his existence._

_The creature roared and tightened its grip on Haou. Its claws raked across his back, leaving deep red gashes. The crimson-stained talons soon encircled his throat, ready to snap it at any second. They sunk into the delicate flesh, going deeper and deeper. Haou sucked in his breath sharply, not knowing which one would be his last. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he continued to fight desperately with everything he had, although it seemed to be all to no avail. Those claws were close enough to his veins and his airway that if they deviated from their current path at all, they would cut off his life. Realizing he had to be careful, he made sure to keep his breaths shallow. His lungs cried out for more oxygen, however, he denied them. He had to be careful lest he cause those claws to end his life._

_A wicked sneer curled the blackened lips upwards, revealing rows of sharpened silver fangs. A low titter came from the depths of its throat, increasing until it had burst out into roaring laughter. Its eyes gleamed, as though mocking him._

_"All hail the king."_

_His blood ran cold hearing the demonic voice. His life was about to end. Even he could see what was coming; soon, those claws would rake against his blood vessels, spilling the precious life force around him and smothering out his existence. Squeezing his eyes shut, he gave a silent prayer to the gods to spare him as he felt the talons begin to clench around his veins. He awaited the final blow._

_It never came._

* * *

"Haou! Haou! Hey, are you all right? Come on, wake up!"

He felt hands on his shoulder, shaking him vigorously. However, he found he could not shake himself from his half-asleep state. If only he could wake up, he would forever be grateful to Juudai. Unless, of course, it had all been a dream. He was not so sure of it, though.

"Hey, he doesn't look so good," an effeminate voice expressed the owner's concern.

"You're right! Hey, Haou! You have to wake up…Come on, please…"

He felt himself being hovered over. Discomfort washed over him as he felt the dark presence of the beast lingering in the background. He wished that he could just shake it already and wake himself up!

"Haou," Came the softer voice, an extra pair of hands drifting to his shoulders and shaking him, "can you hear me?"

He parted his lips, trying desperately to provide an answer. However, he was far too weak. Sickness washed over him. A bit of a groan escaped instead.

"Oh, he is awake! Let's just hope he's not having a relapse…again…"

He shivered a bit as a chill ran down his spine. He heard the bed springs creak and felt the pressure of someone's weight on the mattress. The next moment he felt something warm and solid lying close to him, and arms envelop him, trying to cease his violent shaking. The presence was familiar, though he could not quite place it since his mind was not functioning properly.

"Johan, would you go make some tea?" The person next to him requested, sounding concerned, "I think he might need it…"

"If he could drink it!" Johan replied. However, the sound of footsteps going in the opposite direction signaled his departure. The door opened and shut, leaving Haou alone with the other person.

There was a long pause. Haou wanted to say something, wanted to do something, but was rendered incapable of any speech or action. He felt the covers being pulled up over his body and tucked around him carefully; he was grateful for the simple gesture. Sighing wearily, he tried to get his eyelids to at least flicker the slightest bit. They felt so heavy…Truly, he was not certain he could ever open them again. However, he was determined.

The other's presence calmed something deep within him to the point that all discomfort left him. He felt the beast within receding, and realized that it was going to leave him alone. Presently, he found that he could crack his eyes open a little since the spirit was absent. At first, his vision was blurred and dark, but it soon came into focus. He found himself staring up into worried chocolate eyes, and realized that the person lying next to him was none other than Juudai. No wonder the beast had left.

Unknowingly, Juudai had rescued him as he had done before. The favor had been returned. The question was, though, how come the creature had overpowered him this time? Then, it hit him. When he and Juudai were separated, their power decreased. However, when they were together, they grew stronger. It was only logical; after all, that this be the case since they were two halves of the same soul.

Juudai smiled when he saw Haou gazing back at him. "Oh, good, you're all right. I was afraid you might be sick. But you were just sleeping!"

Haou groaned inwardly. How dense could Juudai be? He would have corrected him if he had not wanted to display weakness. Instead, he frowned at the brunet, invoking a puzzled look from the latter.

A look of realization crossed the other's face. He suddenly looked sympathetic and remorseful. "Oh," He smiled sadly as he asked, "You really were sick, weren't you?"

Haou refused to reply. The last thing he wanted was for Juudai to know how poorly he felt at the moment. He knew that his state was undoubtedly due to the sheer amount of power he had exerted along with the stress, but that did not make it any less humiliating. Since he did not want Juudai to think he was a weak individual, he finally gathered the strength to speak, though he was dismayed to find that his voice was strained and hoarse; he could barely whisper. "I'm just tired…"

Well, he most certainly knew at this point that Juudai would not be fooled by it. It was obvious how he was feeling. As much as he would have liked to stop trembling, he found he could not. The brunet pressed him closer, trying to warm him up. At the very least Juudai was willing to take care of the people he viewed as friends. Even if Haou did not particularly want this type of relationship with Juudai, the other thought they were, and nothing was going to stop him. Secretly, it made Haou feel better about everything he stressed about, particularly concerning his need to be more important than Johan.

At that moment, the door opened and Johan re-entered the room, carrying a cup of tea. He set it down on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed. "Well, I have your tea. Juudai, let's sit him up."

Nodding, Juudai propped Haou up with a few pillows and held the tea out to him. He stared at it for a moment before finally accepting it. Perhaps it would at least help him warm up. He was suspicious of it, but did not believe that Johan was the type to be so envious as to put any type of poison in his food. Still, he had been brought up to suspect these types of conspiracies, so he tasted it very carefully before taking a small sip.

It did do him quite a bit of good, actually. By the time he'd finished it, he felt a great deal more comfortable, enough so to perhaps go back to sleep. He placed the cup back on the nightstand, muttering a word of gratitude, simply to be polite. Then, he lay back down, feeling drowsy.

"Better?" Juudai asked, leaning over him.

He opened one eye to glance at the boy, then nodded.

Looking relieved, Juudai told him, "Well, you can have my bed tonight if you want. If you're cold later, just let me know and I'll get you some more tea or another blanket or something. Or Johan and I could just sleep with you." He shrugged.

Haou frowned. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Juudai prodded, his brow furrowing in concern. He did not look as though he believed the king. "Because I really don't want to leave you alone or anything. You seem awfully unwell…"

Haou sighed in exasperation. It was obvious that Juudai was going to keep pressing. "If you're that concerned about me…" He kicked off the covers and moved over a bit, accepting Juudai's previous invitation.

Wordlessly, Juudai crawled in next to Haou, and pulled the covers up over them. He glanced up at Johan, who looked a bit uncomfortable, but squeezed in between Haou and the wall. Haou stiffened at the contact. He was not used to being touched, much less being physically—or emotionally for that matter—close to someone. However, he had to admit that it was not entirely uncomfortable, as long as they were still and allowed him to sleep. He did not particularly like it, but it did provide him with added warmth and security. After having encountered an entity so unnerving, it was nice to know that he was not alone. If anything else happened, he knew that he had Juudai there. And he also knew that the vice-versa applied.

He started to drift to sleep again, only to be rudely startled awake by the door slamming. Annoyed, he cracked open an eye to find that Sho and Kenzan had returned from the party. They exchanged a few words with Juudai and then retired to their bunks above. They did not seem disturbed by the fact that Johan, Juudai, and Haou were all crammed in one bunk. After all, Juudai frequently slept with his friends and no one thought anything of it. He did not mean anything by it either.

Haou was unable to sleep for several hours after being interrupted. He lay awake and listened to Juudai's steady breathing, watching the brunet as he slept. He was also painfully aware of Johan's presence, since the other boy was pressed up against his back. At that point he was beginning to need his personal space, however, both boys had latched onto him in their sleep and would not let go for anything. He most certainly did not want to awaken them. So, he lay still and stared off into the darkness.

Eventually, he did fall back asleep, only this time, it was a peaceful one. He did not have any nightmares nor did he have any more unpleasant visits. In fact, he remained blissfully unaware of everything around him, including Juudai and Johan. It had been a long time since he had been able to sleep like that. By the time he awoke in the morning, he felt refreshed and a great deal better. Of course, after what had happened, he was still a little weak and thought that perhaps taking it easy would be a good idea.

Since Juudai and Johan had long ago released him, he managed to shift away from them and crawl over Juudai so he could take a relaxing bath. As expected, Juudai did not budge even when he was pushed a little. Haou shook his head, thinking that Juudai would not awaken even if the world were coming to an end. He grabbed some fresh clothes and a towel out of a nearby drawer and hurried off to the baths before anyone else could get there. He liked to bathe early in the morning; he had done that ever since he could remember.

He allowed himself to soak for a luxurious half hour. It always felt so nice to take his sweet time. As he was leaning back against the tub wall, his eyes drifted to the vanity and the mirror above it. It looked like any ordinary mirror, so he was not concerned about it. So far, only a specific kind had been troublesome for him. If he thought about them as portals, then perhaps that was how the spirits had entered his and Juudai's mind. They did contain pathways to and from one another. Not to mention a mirror had been his gateway to this world.

Thinking more about it, he wished he could get back to Dark World. He knew he had responsibilities there, and he still had the mystery on his hands about how everyone had disappeared. As of then, he had no way of figuring out how to return. He did not know how to work the mirrors to his advantage. But perhaps if he got the chance again, he would experiment. He would have to find one first, however.

Sinking lower in the bathtub and sighing heavily, he closed his eyes and let his mind drift. He thought for several moments about his impressions of Duel Academia and Juudai's friends. He thought about how he could utilize his resources for his own good. After a moment, though, he snapped himself of his thoughts. Was it just him, or did it feel colder? He opened his eyes reluctantly, and glanced about him. A bit of a mist was falling on the mirror, fogging it up. He supposed it could have been steam but…something about it just did not seem right. He thought that it was time for him to leave.

Quickly, he got out and dried himself, then hastily dressed. He reached for the door knob, only to have his hand slapped back by something. Immediately, he whirled around, his eyes scanning every inch of the room, narrowed into dangerous slits. There did not seem to be anyone but him in the room. Carefully, he reached out once more, only this time a bit faster. He started to walk out but halted when his eye caught movement. It was nothing but the condensation dripping down the mirror. He watched as it curved and dribbled down, somewhat unnaturally. When it finally pooled on the vanity, he was able to decipher the ancient symbols it left behind. His eyes widened in shock at what he saw. So he had not escaped after all! Without hesitation, he hurried out of the room, slamming the door behind him, the words echoing in a familiar growl in his head.

_All hail the king._

He knew then, his days were numbered.

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**A/N: Well, you will never guess the TROUBLE I had with this chapter. I started it two weeks ago then decided in the middle of it I HATED it so I scrapped it and rewrote the entire thing. :D Fun fun fun. Anyway, if you want to see, I have put it (as well as the deleted scene which is deleted for OOCness but I couldn't help myself) up on deviantArt. Link to my profile is…on my profile. -.- So yeah…I like this version a helluva lot better. Thanks for being so patient. DX I hope it's worth the wait, though it is a bit confusing/boring/jumping around. :P **


	10. Chapter 10: Transition

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A/N: I might be ruining the tone of Mirrors with this one. I don't know. Sorry if I do. It's not very exciting, but I promise next chapter is when some of the biggest revelations are made, particularly in the way that Haou received a separate body and how come he resided in Dark World and Juudai's mind at the same time. This one is just…a development chapter.

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX. If I did…well, chaos would erupt. Maybe it's a good thing I don't own it. -.-**

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Chapter 10: Transition

Haou lay under Juudai's sheets, the covers pulled far over his head. He knew it was ridiculous to be doing something of the sort but he was so overwhelmed. Nothing seemed to be going right. For the past week, he had been feeling weak and sick, and incredibly tired. Nothing he did seemed to touch it. No amount of sleep seemed to make him feel any better. He had been so drained…almost as though his energy were being depleted every second. And he suspected it had to do with the fact that Juudai was dueling constantly in those dis-duels. Though, it seemed to be more than that.

The other problem he had encountered had to do with the nightmares he could not seem to shake. He had been having nightmares for awhile then, but they had gotten worse. He could actually feel what was happening to him, and when he awoke, he was usually out of breath and in excruciating pain. To make matters worse, ever since his solo encounter with the likeness of Anubis—though he was not sure it was actually the fabled god since it did not _seem_ quite like him—had been returning night after night, haunting him. And each time, the beast injured him in some new way. It was almost as though he were being toyed around with, teased. Sometimes he awoke from the dreams to find that the injuries were real. A few times, he had woken up to find that the sheets were stained with his blood. And it was getting worse.

For these reasons, he had become more reclusive than usual, since he was angry and somewhat embarrassed that it had gotten to the point that these things were happening to him. He did spend a lot of time in the library, trying to research it, and trying to figure out a way to put an end to it. Normally, his own strength would suffice. But since Juudai had been dueling so much and causing him to be weakened in every state possible, he was not nearly so capable of defending himself or blocking the attacker out of his mind. And the entity could sense it. It was a predator, lurking in the shadows around him, waiting for the opportune moment so it could feast on his festering soul. And it was all he could do to keep from barging in on Juudai's mind and seizing some of his energy to make up for his own weakness. That would have been foolish. The beast was probably waiting for him to make that move, so he could take the both of them down in one clean swoop. After all, it would expend energy to derive the energy from Juudai and that would only make matters worse for the both of them. No, there had to be some other solution.

It was not as though he could very well tell Juudai to stop dueling either. For one thing, he would have to tell him why. For another thing, Juudai would probably not listen to him if he did not explain why. Not to mention he actually _wanted_ Juudai to duel. Not because it was hurting him, per se. But because he wanted the brunet to hone his skills to the maximum, so he could utilize him in the future. The road to that goal, though, was miserable.

As of the moment, he felt another wave of exhaustion wash over him, and the stone of his deathbelt glowed orange. He stared down at the hated object with spiteful eyes, before banging it against the headboard in desperation. _That_ accursed object was the cause of all his troubles, it seemed! He tugged at it, sawed at it with a knife, picked the fastening—anything and everything he could do to get it off. In the end, he flopped back down to the bed, panting and resigned. Well, one of those days he would find a way to get it off. It just was not going to be very easy.

Closing his eyes, he tried to fight off his lethargic state so that he might be able to at least go to the library to get some more research done. However, he was far too tired. All he wanted to do was lie on that bed and sleep…sleep for all eternity. Perhaps he just might have done that if he had not heard the faintest scraping against the window, followed by sound of something hard and dense hitting the glass. There was a bit of a shout from outside.

Weakly, he rolled over onto his side and tried to stand. He managed just because he wanted the noise to stop so badly. It took every last ounce of strength mustered up to open that window. Disgusted with himself, he muttered under his breath before sticking his head out the window.

"Hey, Haou!"

He directed his half-lidded gaze downwards towards the ground. There stood Juudai and Johan, grinning sheepishly up at him. For some odd reason, he was glad to see them. Perhaps it was because he was feeling uncomfortable with his physical state, and, deep inside, he feared he just might die. As if they could do anything to prevent it.

"What do you want?" He asked, trying to project his voice to its normal level. He was not very successful, to say the least.

"Um, well, could you let us in? I accidentally locked the door and forgot my key…I just realized it." Juudai replied, laughing a little.

"Why didn't you just knock on the door?" Haou groaned. Great. He was going to have to drag his sorry self over to the door as well. And the worst part was…he really was not sure he could do it.

Juudai and Johan looked at each other as though it were some new concept to them. They both shrugged. "I don't know." They said in unison. Haou got the feeling that they had just always wanted to do something of that sort.

Sighing heavily and clutching the windowsill as another dizzy spell befell him, Haou called down, "Well, come on up then. I'll let you in." Inside though, he was irritated. How dare he suddenly become a servant to them! He was a _king_; they were supposed to serve _him_! Yet…that was beside the point. It took too much energy to think anymore, it seemed.

What felt like only seconds later, there was the sound of the knob turning. Haou had barely moved from the window at this point. Slowly, he made his way over to the door before opening it, gritting his teeth and commanding his body to keep moving, to appear normal. Johan and Juudai stepped into the room brushing past him, giving him strange looks as they settled down on the floor.

Haou swallowed hard, knowing he had to try to walk normally. It was so hard…All he wanted to do was collapse to the floor. But he forced himself to take a step back towards his bed, his refuge. He attempted to go at a normal pace, but miserably failed. That was when Juudai became concerned.

Looking sympathetic, the brunet took his arm and helped him over to the bed. It shamed him terribly, and he made sure Juudai knew he was irritated. He could take care of it himself! Had he not been so weak, he would've shoved Juudai away and snapped at him. But he just didn't have the energy…Maybe later he would reprimand him for it. For the time being, he was just glad to collapse back down to the mattress and close his eyes. Drowsiness clouded his thinking; he felt as though he might fall asleep again.

"Haou, are you all right?" Juudai asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and tilting his head to one side, his brow furrowed and his hair flopping in his eyes.

Haou's gaze flickered up in his direction momentarily. He wanted to say something but could not think of how to respond anymore. He could hardly even think of how to _think_. How could he feel worse so suddenly?

Juudai patted him on the head, brushing a stand of his hair out of his eyes. He had not even noticed it there until Juudai had moved it. "You haven't been yourself…You've been holed up in this room for a whole week. It's not like _you_ to skip classes."

Haou would have mumbled that although classes were important to Juudai, he did not need them anyway, but he was unable to due to his weakness. Besides, he reminded himself, he had to provide an example for Juudai to follow. He might not need that sort of education, but Juudai sure did.

When he did not respond, Juudai shook him a little. "Hey, did you hear me? Are you Ok?" The other was looking _extremely_ concerned by then.

Haou managed a brief nod before letting his head drop back down to the pillow. Inwardly, he cursed. He just might pass out at this rate.

Johan, who had been sitting on the floor and watching the whole time, finally strode over as well, sitting down next to Juudai. The two boys looked down at Haou then at each other. "Should we take him to Ayukawa-sensei?" Johan asked, frowning.

Haou shook his head wildly. He did _not_ want to be touched by _that_ woman again! Neither did he want to be seen by the public in such an _unsightly_ state. It embarrassed him to no end.

"Are you sick?" Juudai prodded, leaning in his face.

Haou shook his head. He was not sure if he should tell Juudai but…he supposed it was better than Juudai thinking that _he_ was naturally weak or sickly. Besides, he did not want this type of thing happening to _Juudai_. Feebly, he lifted a hand and pointed to the deathbelt, though he was not sure if Juudai would get the message.

Looking confused, Juudai asked, "Is something wrong with your arm?"

Haou shook his head again. This was getting exasperating. And, as much as he did not want to do it while Juudai was conscious, he figured he just might have to communicate to him through their minds. However, he did not have to do it on his own will. It had already happened unconsciously. Juudai's eyes widened in realization and he grabbed Haou's wrist, holding it up for Johan to see.

"I think it's hurting him!"

"What?!" Johan's eyes widened as well. His gaze dropped to his own dealthbelt, then to Juudai's. "You really think that's the cause of it? I find that a little hard to believe…Are you sure he's not just sick?"

Juudai nodded. "I'm pretty sure of it. I mean, who knows what exactly is going on here but…we have to do something for him. Let's try to get it off him."

"Ok," Johan agreed. He went over to the desk and began to dig through a drawer, looking for something he could use to break the band off with. Suddenly, he stopped his searching and turned to face Juudai. "Wait…how do you know that that's the problem exactly?"

At a loss for words, Juudai shrugged. "I just know. He told me."

"But he didn't say anything," Johan remarked, blinking. No, he did not doubt Juudai. He was more or less curious…and confused.

"Johan…you know how you and I just _know_ things about each other?" Juudai asked.

"Um, yes…" Johan replied slowly, not liking where this was headed.

"Well, it's sort of the same way here too," Juudai told him, "only…different. I don't know how to describe it."

Johan shrugged, accepting it. Though, deep inside, it made him worry. He felt as though perhaps this was the sort of connection Juudai could have with just anyone then. What if it was just because Juudai was telepathic or something? No, that could not be it. But what if…He swallowed back the bitter envy and hurt rising in his throat.

Juudai felt Johan's discomfort but wasn't sure what to do. So, he just started to stand as well to help Johan search for a tool, but his eye caught a glimpse of Haou's wrist again. Slowly, he pulled down the sleeve of Haou's jacket. The king sent him a warning glare, but it was ignored.

"Oh…my…."

Juudai stared at the deep gashes in his arm, trailing all the way up to the shoulder. Slowly, he removed Haou's jacket and tossed it aside, before starting to pull his shirt off. Haou curled his upper lip in disdain, but that was ignored as well. Before he could stop Juudai, his shirt had been removed, revealing the various scars and wounds over his body. Some of them were from past wars that had been transferred from his spirit to the new body. But the rest of them were fresh, from the nightly visits from his attacker. Juudai stared at them, his mouth opening and closing.

"What happened to you?" Juudai's dark eyes softened all the more in sympathy.

Haou set his jaw and refused to avert his sharp gaze from Juudai. He really wanted to protect the other from this one truth, if that was the only one he would allow himself to shield Juudai from. Not to mention he was further ashamed for not being able to fight this creature off. However, since the mental connection between them had slowly been re-established, though this time it was consciously, the brief flashes of memory were all it took for Juudai to realize what was going on.

Slowly, the brunet sat down next to Haou again, frowning as he did so. "This is getting weirder and weirder…"

Haou had to silently agree. Although, it was not entirely new to him. Those sorts of demons had always taken a liking to him. Though, he had always been able to ward them off before.

Johan stifled a little gasp at the sight of Haou, as he had just turned back around. "What the…?"

Juudai shook his head. "We've got trouble…again."

"What is it this time?" Johan asked, perching himself on the edge of the desk and looking worried.

There was a brief pause as Juudai thought about it. Haou could sense he was feeling déjà vu, and knew that soon he would have dug up the memory of the battle that had occurred in his own mind. "I think we're dealing with spirits again." The brunet frowned.

"Duel monster spirits?" Johan asked, cocking his head to one side.

"I don't know…" Juudai replied, staring down at his hands, and looking frustrated, "It doesn't _feel_ like duel monster spirits…It feels like something else. But…although I can sense the way they feel I just can't quite put a finger on it…It's almost as though I've seen this somewhere before but I just can't remember."

Johan frowned. "That's strange. I can't feel anything."

"Well, they're not here right now," Juudai told him, "But…they were here before and they…they hurt Haou." He gestured towards the marks and scars. "But…that's not all that hurt him. Something else happened to him…but I just can't get a clear vision of it." He shook his head.

Well, that was a given. Haou was doing his best to block Juudai off from the area of his mind that contained memories from his past. Granted, at the moment he was not as successful as he usually would have been but at least Juudai was not as in touch with that area of Haou's mind since those memories had occurred before Juudai had been born.

He was quickly snapped out of his thoughts when he felt Juudai tracing a finger along a particularly nasty cut. His entire body tensed. Already, he hated being touched but…to have his wound touched! It made him want to smack the brunet. Instead, all he could do was give the other a dirty look.

"I'm sorry," Juudai apologized when Haou shuddered and glared at him.

Johan pushed between the two to lean over and grab Haou's wrist. The action was so sudden and fast that it caused Haou to tense and prepare to strike back. Had he not been so weak, Johan would have ended up pinned down to the floor. It was purely out of self defense. Haou never knew when someone was going to attack him and the move had seemed threatening, in his opinion. But no, all Johan was doing was chipping away at the metal with a screwdriver, trying to wedge it in the fastening. Though, his eyes were flashing. It dawned on Haou that he had purposely chosen that moment; he had wanted to put himself between Haou and Juudai because he was jealous and could not help but react. Though, it was apparent he was trying to hide it. Could it be that he sensed…? Haou quickly reprimanded himself as the thought resurfaced to his mind.

Although Juudai did not completely comprehend the action, it did take him by surprise. He blinked, staring at Johan. It was rather unlike him to react so strongly. Perhaps he _did_ sense what was ultimately going on, even more so than Haou or Juudai did. "Johan…"

Immediately, the teal-haired boy composed himself. He sat up straight and smiled, no trace of envy left burning in his mint-green eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry! I was just trying to get this off…" He looked down at the screwdriver, his face turning a bit pink from embarrassment.

Although it was obvious how Johan had felt about the situation, Juudai let it go all the same. He patted the European on the shoulder reassuringly, and then tried to help get the deathbelt off of Haou's wrist. They worked at it for fifteen minutes, doing everything in their power to get it off. It was all to no avail.

Panting from the effort, Johan and Juudai lay back, trying to think of some way that they could get the band off. It almost seemed as though it was permanent. This possibility was grim. Perhaps a bit more research would have to do…

"Let's worry about this later," Juudai sighed, groaning, "Until we know more about these, I don't think we can pry it off…But we'll figure it out."

"And it doesn't seem to be hurting him _now_," Johan pointed out, watching Haou carefully, "I mean, it isn't hurting us either…"

He glanced down at the deathbelt latched around his own wrist in confusion. It was baffling how the object could cause Haou such obvious pain. Was there something he was reacting to that they were unaware of? For the time being, they would just have to forget about it. Obviously, they were unaware of the power it possessed.

By then, Haou had strangely recovered enough energy to prop himself up on his elbow and look at the two. He felt his energy slowly being restored to him, though he knew he would not be up to his full strength anytime soon. At least he was feeling a little better. And he figured it had to do with Juudai's presence. Since they were around each other, their bond was stronger and, therefore, their strength seemed to double. He took a few deep breaths, which enabled him to at least speak again. "You have to duel."

"Huh?" Juudai raised an eyebrow and looked perplexed. "You want to duel?"

"No," Haou replied, his voice shaking despite himself, "You have to duel for…this to hurt."

Juudai stared at him. "Are you serious?!"

Haou nodded. "I can't really explain how that works…" He grimaced. Truthfully, he was just as confused as they were.

Juudai and Johan exchanged a glance. Then, Johan asked, "Are you sure that's how it works? It just doesn't make any sense." He shook his head in disbelief.

"Well," Juudai interrupted, leaning forward a bit, "A few minutes ago, I just dueled some guy and I feel just fine. It can't be that…"

Looking back over at Haou, Johan affirmed, "Yes, that's true! And Juudai's been dueling a LOT lately."

Haou sighed. Really, he did not feel like going into detail about it. Especially when he knew so little about the matter. Perhaps he would return to the subject once he had read up on it more. Honestly, he was sorry he had brought it up at all.

"Is that why you've been so depressed?" Juudai asked suddenly, looking sorrowful, "Because you've been feeling so sick?" He regarded Haou with a concerned gaze.

This caught Haou's attention. His head snapped up and he stared at Juudai. "Depressed?"

Juudai nodded. "Yeah…All you do is sit around in the library all day. And you never smile or look even semi-agreeable. It really worries me because…well…I don't know. I mean you never really look happy. Maybe it's because you're oozing with unhappiness…I can just feel it." He shrugged and paused before continuing. "And it's really bothered me because you've seemed anxious and something's really weighing down on your mind. Can we help?"

"I'm fine," Haou grumbled, irritated at the thought of asking _anyone_ for help. No, he would be just fine on his own. He always had, always would…Right?

"It is true," Johan remarked, looking concerned as well, "You never seem to have any joy in anything. You seem to constantly be angry. There must be _something_ you like to do."

Haou grimaced and muttered under his breath. However, he refused to reply directly to this statement. Instead, he gazed coldly from one to the other, pushing back the interminable ache that rose from within him, the ache of longing. Ever since he had become a part of Juudai's soul, he had been reintroduced to human emotion at its purest state. And he had been reminded what companionship was like, if only from Juudai's perspective. And then…He wanted…he wanted…

No. He would not allow himself to think such things. He denied himself the privilege, and pushed back the tiny flicker of humanity that was igniting within him. He had long gotten rid of that…hadn't he? So why had it returned? Why was it plaguing him then of all times? Even worse, Juudai was giving him _that_ look. The look that meant he could see right through him as though his skin and soul were transparent. Haou had never felt so uncomfortable in the presence of another in his life. No one had been able to sense his emotions, even the slightest bit. So what made Juudai capable of such a feat? Could it be that he possessed the same unique abilities as Haou? True, he was perceptive, more so than people gave him credit for, but he was not really _that_ perceptive…Though, then again, people could change. And he and Juudai had a connection unlike anything else on the earth; it was, indeed, stronger and deeper than anyone else's.

To his utter surprise, and dismay, Juudai seized him by the hand and pulled him to his feet. His initial reaction was to tense and try to jerk away, but Juudai was determined. He dragged the king towards the door. Quickly, Johan jumped to his feet and followed them, almost like a forlorn puppy would follow its master. He was obviously feeling left out. Something was…different then. And Johan could sense it.

Looking helpless, he asked sheepishly, almost as though he were for once afraid of asking, "Can I come? Or do you want to be alone?"

Juudai glanced over at Haou. Well, he was going to come anyway, so Haou only sighed raggedly and refused to respond. Juudai smiled warmly and nodded, remaining as open and friendly as ever. But there was an underlying amount of tension that nagged at him; Haou could feel it. Something was bothering Juudai, but he was mostly unaware of it and mostly uncertain of what it was or how to cope with it. Haou was not much better with these sorts of things either, so he was puzzled as well. Time would tell, he supposed.

"Where are we going?" Johan asked, snapping Haou from his thoughts.

Juudai smiled brightly, leading Haou and Johan down the steps of the Osiris dorm. "Oh, you'll see," He promised, "And once we get there, be sure to wait, Ok? Because I have to get some things."

Haou sighed inwardly at this. There was no telling what Juudai had planned. Already, he had a hunch that Juudai was scheming something ridiculous, to try to make the day more tolerable for him. Well, he would go along with it. Only because he had nothing better to do, and he might as well get Juudai to trust him a little more. Even by that point, he could tell that the brunet had warmed up considerably towards him. He wanted to be a close friend of Haou's, there was no doubt about it. Question was…would Haou be able to condone such a thing? He was already fonder of the other than he would have liked. It was getting to the point where he found it dangerous to his goal. Though, to others it might not have seemed like much of anything, to Haou it was a lot.

The trio walked down the well-worn path silently for awhile, each to his own thoughts. The day was relatively pleasant. The sun felt warm on Haou's face, the wind was down to a minimum. Only then and again did it blow, rustling the leaves of the trees so they whispered musically. Taking a deep breath of the fresh autumn air, Haou let it out slowly, trying to get himself to relax a little. It had been so long since he had left the dorm room, since he had felt somewhat decent. And to think, only moments ago he had felt weaker than he ever had in his life! It was inexplicable, the effect that Juudai had on people, especially him. Even if they were the same person, Haou still found it hard to believe that such a feat could be accomplished.

How could Juudai make him feel so much better? This question had been running over and over in his mind for quite some time then. It seemed that whenever he was feeling very bitter or melancholy, the brunet would sense it and pop up out of nowhere to magically wave it away. It made no _sense_ to Haou. The only thing he could think of was that perhaps Juudai had some sort of power not unlike his own, only his were to be used for different purposes. Naturally, he was still finding the concept of companionship without strings attached difficult to grasp.

By then, Juudai had taken Johan and Haou off the path a ways. Carefully, he navigated his way around trees and bushes before stopping. He turned back around to the others and grinned widely, gesturing towards the spot. "Well, I don't usually like to share my spot so, you guys should be honored," He teased.

Johan shook his head. "You always share it with me, though."

"Yeah, but you know I'm particular about it," Juudai insisted, his eyes twinkling mischievously, "Anyway, I'll be right back, so don't go too far, Ok?"

He turned then stopped, and grabbed Johan's arm. Johan looked confused until Juudai pulled him closer and whispered something in his ear, grinning to the point that Haou though his face would crack. He watched the two carefully, not even bothering to eavesdrop on their short conversation. He had a feeling he was going to find out soon enough, though he really was not all that interested, to be honest. All the same, he supposed it was going to happen regardless of what he thought, judging by the looks on their faces and their excited whispering.

After a moment, Juudai hurried off, leaving Haou with Johan. The two stood in awkward silence. Haou made no effort to start a conversation or even so much as look at the teal-haired boy. However, Johan was determined to achieve some sort of ridiculous goal that he and Juudai had concocted, and he was not one to give up.

"Um, hey, Haou?"

Haou's gaze slid in the other's direction. He grimaced as he answered. "What do you want?"

"Maybe we should go, uh, over there." Johan suggested weakly.

Sensing that Juudai and Johan were up to something—more specifically, something he would not be comfortable with—Haou was naturally reluctant to do so. He stood firmly rooted to the ground, staring unblinkingly at the other. "Why?"

"Because there's something that I want to show you," Johan quickly improvised, grinning wanly.

Haou would have resisted, but Johan did not give him the chance. He seized Haou by the hand and tugged, urging him to follow. Since he was being dragged anyway and really did not have a choice, and since it seemed relatively harmless, he caved and followed Johan, making a point to jerk his hand away from the other's. No one could touch him unless he deemed that person worthy.

They walked for some way, by the uneven cliff side. Johan chattered away to him, attempting to start a conversation. However, Haou was by nature a reserved individual, and did not believe in speaking more words than necessary to answer. In effect, he became quite the conversation killer.

"So, it's a nice day, huh?" Johan prompted, "I really like weather like this. It's not too hot and not too chilly. It's…refreshing. Don't you think?"

"I suppose," Haou replied simply, shrugging slightly. It did not matter to him what the weather was like. All the same, he was polite about it due to his upbringing.

"Hey, do you like it here at Duel Academia?" Johan suddenly asked, stopping and turning to face the other.

Haou thought for a moment, then replied, "It could be better. The academics are severely lacking. And a lot of the students have little potential. But it is pleasant enough."

"Ok…" Johan was clearly thrown off by his response. He had not been expecting that. He seemed to be lost in thought for a few moments, then asked another question, much to Haou's dismay. "Say, why do you and Juudai have such similar decks, anyway? Coincidence?" It could be a coincidence, obviously. After all, Edo had at first played Elemental Heroes. However, it was how each duelist played them that set them apart from the rest. And Johan acknowledged that deep down inside. Yes, they had similar decks. But not the same. They did not play exactly the same.

Haou surveyed Johan's curious expression for a moment, then sighed. "It's not a coincidence. I'm not sure how to explain it to you, but I don't really want to either. Let's just say that what Juudai said before about us sharing a bond was true." He jammed his hands in his pockets and walked on, leaving Johan to stand there pondering his words.

"Wait!" Johan called, hurrying to catch up to him, "I really don't understand. Are you saying that you share a connection that deep with him? Even deeper beyond his connection with…"

Haou cut him off before he could pick up where he had left off. "Of course. You could never fathom it."

"But…why? How?" Johan seemed frustrated. "Juudai and I are really close…You haven't know him for too long. How could…?"

"Like I said, you could never understand," Haou reiterated, "Besides, what you just said is completely incorrect. I have known Juudai far longer than you have. And that's not the point, since you and Juudai developed a bond right away as well. But once again, you could never understand. Let's just leave it at that because I am not going to further this discussion."

Seeing that Haou seemed irritated, Johan backed off on the topic, though he did look taken aback. How had Haou known about first encounter and their immediate connection? If he knew that, what else did he know? Quickly, he shook the question from his mind, though it still made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and chills run down his spine. Haou was…an intriguing individual, to say the least.

They continued the walk for several minutes, until Johan suddenly turned around, muttering for Haou to come along. Wordlessly, Haou followed, figuring that he was about to find out what was going on. Needless to say, he was a bit surprised, and a bit dismayed, at what they came back to.

Juudai was sitting on a blanket that was spread out across the grass and in the shade of a tree, a big grin plastered on his face. He had his legs crossed and a basket between them. Raising a hand in greeting, he called out to them. "Hey!"

Johan sat down next to Juudai, and looked up at Haou expectantly, the same huge grin illuminating his features as well. "Juudai, this is such a surprise!" He said this not too convincingly. It was obvious it had been staged. For what reason, Haou was not sure yet.

"Haou, come on, sit down!" Juudai insisted, gesturing to a spot across from him.

Haou blinked and stared blankly at the two, who were still smiling up at him to the point that their faces looked like they would break. "What is this?"

"A picnic," Johan and Juudai said in unison, looking puzzled.

"For what reason, exactly?" Haou queried.

Johan and Juudai exchanged a glance before Juudai replied. "Because you're miserable and we want to cheer you up. Food always makes everything better!"

Johan nodded in agreement. "Mmhm!"

Haou stared down at them. No hint of emotion, or any sort of reaction for that matter, showed on his face. Since he did not make any move on his own, Juudai took it upon himself to "help" him sit down.

"Come on!" He prodded, seizing Haou's hand and dragging him to the blanket.

Haou sent him a look for that, but did not say anything. Juudai only laughed at his angry expression, as though it did not faze him at all. This irritated the king, but he could do nothing.

Juudai reached into the basket and produced a box lunch, which he held out to Haou. Haou stared at it for a moment before reluctantly accepting it. Juudai beamed before reaching in and pulling out one for Johan as well. Then, he took out his. "I hope you guys like it. It's Tome's special box lunch. It's one of my favorites."

"Juudai," Johan laughed, lifting the top off and reaching for the chopsticks, "Everything edible is your favorite."

"But especially fried shrimp!" Juudai proclaimed, holding out the succulent tempura in his chopsticks.

"What about you, Haou?" Johan asked, somewhat teasingly, "Do you like fried shrimp too?"

Haou refused to respond for a moment. He was too busy examining the contents of the box. He supposed it was not that bad of a lunch. It would suffice. Besides, he had been weak and did need to get his strength back up. And it seemed like it would do him good as far as boosting his energy was concerned. Carefully, he lifted some of the contents in his chopsticks and to his mouth. Before he bit into it though, he finally replied to Johan's question. "Food is food."

"Do you mean that in a generic sense, or a Juudai sense?" Johan asked, trying to suppress the smirk.

"The generic," Haou responded, finally taking the shrimp in his mouth and chewing slowly and thoughtfully.

"Isn't it great?" Juudai asked, grinning, "And that's why it was so much trouble to get it. But I did, just for you guys!"

"I appreciate it," Johan told him, "Thanks!"

"No problem!" Juudai responded, grinning again.

Haou gave his gratitude as well, just to be polite. Besides, it was not bad or anything. He was just used to delicate, gourmet food and this…was not quite it. Still, it was rather filling and satisfying, and Juudai _had_ gone to the trouble of obtaining it, so…

"Perhaps food was all you needed," Juudai continued, nodding, "I mean, after all, you hardly ate anything when you were stuck in that room. And that was over the course of several days. Does it make you feel better?"

"I suppose," Haou replied, closing his eyes. He could not help but feel his spirits lift quite uncharacteristically. It was probably because Juudai's cheerful demeanor was enough to warm the coldest heart.

"So," Juudai said, talking around the food in his mouth, "since you've been so down lately, Johan and I are going to take you around the island today to try to make you feel better. We're going to have a lot of fun, and we can even duel a few times if you want!"

Honestly, Haou was annoyed at how much in denial Juudai was. He just did not seem to understand that dueling was what was going to hurt them if they kept it up. So, he just declined. This seemed to take Juudai aback.

"But," He protested, looking confused, "Don't you _like_ it?"

Johan elbowed him and whispered in his ear, "Remember, he's convinced that it's hurting him. He's not willing to admit that maybe he's sick."

"Oh, right," Juudai said quickly, grinning sheepishly, "Ok, never mind. I guess you don't feel up to dueling then. But we're still going to have fun."

Haou was not so sure.

They finished their lunches, then sat on the blanket, enjoying the sunlight filtering through the leaves and warming them, as well as the fresh ocean breeze that played with their hair. Haou was feeling rather sleepy after having eaten so much. He leaned back on his elbows and closed his eyes, listening to the quiet peacefulness of nature. It was rather pleasant, he decided. Especially when one felt so lazy. That world was not so bad. It was nice to be able to sit back and enjoy something once in awhile. He had really missed out on that in Dark World. And it was nice to be able to close his eyes and use his other senses to perceive the day. He could smell the salty air and the fresh grass, and he could hear the leaves rustling as the wind blew softly, whispering lullabies. The blanket felt so soft and lovely beneath him, as well as the blades of grass that poked from underneath. And the warmth of the sun combined with the cool of the shade only added to the experience. It was moments like this that he felt the need to cherish, for he knew that they would seldom come again.

"Want dessert?" Juudai asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Haou's eyes slid open halfway, his golden gaze appearing dazed and drowsy. He would have said no, that he was too full, but Juudai imposed the parfait on him all the same. Finally, he took it and ate it slowly, savoring the taste. When had it last been that he had enjoyed dining so much? He could hardly remember. Perhaps it was being with Juudai that made it so much better.

Quickly, he shook the thought from his mind, a bit embarrassed and shocked at himself. He glanced over at the brunet, almost as if trying to make sure that he was unaware of the fleeting thought. Well, at least he was on the surface. But Haou knew that at the rate things were going, he would no longer be able to hide his deepest, innermost thoughts and feelings. Even then, that sort of surprised him. No one had ever been able to sense him so deeply. Of course, then too, it had been awhile since he had actually had feelings, it seemed. Not to say that he went through life completely numb. It was hard to describe it, really.

Juudai noticed Haou looking his way and glanced up at well, meeting his amber gaze with his own chocolate one. Their eyes locked only for a brief moment, but it was enough to make the desire grow stronger. Haou wanted to be close to him. He was not sure how close he wanted to be, nor was he sure of the ultimate intentions behind it but…Something about Juudai made him ache. It was a feeling that had lingered in the background for awhile, then, but it increased tenfold when he looked into the brunet's eyes. Or when he saw Juudai interacting with his other friends. He could not help but gravitate towards Juudai, since the other was so friendly and outgoing and pleasant to be around, no matter how annoying he seemed at first impression. It was then that he realized…he wanted to be Juudai's friend. It bothered him when he thought about it. It bothered him a lot. But he wanted it badly. He had tried to resist but…it had finally come to the surface.

Feeling cranky again, he dropped his gaze back down to the half-eaten parfait. He hardly noticed, due to his gloomy state, Juudai inching closer to him, until the brunet was practically breathing down his neck. Haou glanced up as Juudai reached out, arching an eyebrow. What was the boy _doing_? He watched as Juudai took his wooden paddle and dipped it in _his_ parfait, before innocently taking a bite. Haou stared down at him, utterly shocked. What sort of manners were _those_?

Juudai hardly noticed Haou's disapproving scowl. He licked the remnant off the paddle then put it aside with his own empty glass, smiling contentedly as he leaned back against Johan, who looked equally mortified. Haou was not the type to mess around with like that, and Johan knew it. Juudai, however, seemed oblivious to this.

Staring back down at his glass, Haou wondered _why_ Juudai had felt the need to do such a thing. He had to remind himself that Juudai was a little bit of a glutton, and had probably just not gotten enough to satisfy himself. And he probably had noticed that Haou was half-heartedly eating it and decided to help him out. Oh, well. It could not be helped. All Haou did was mildly scold him for having such poor manners. In response, Juudai grinned impishly at him and stuck out his tongue. Johan looked on with an air of disappointment.

Before Haou could open his mouth again, Johan stood, pulling Juudai with him. "Maybe we should be heading back to the dorm for awhile…"

"Aw, but it's so pleasant out here!" Juudai protested.

"Yeah, but, Haou probably needs to rest. Isn't that right?" Johan glanced over at Haou nervously.

Haou looked from Juudai to Johan. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, don't worry so much," Juudai added. He turned away from Johan to look at Haou. "So, are you up to going to the beach with us? I mean, it's not like we're going to get in the water or anything."

Haou would have said no, but Juudai would not take that for an answer. Before Haou could refuse, he grabbed the other's hand and started to drag him off. "Come on! It'll be fun!"

Wondering to himself what Juudai could possibly find to do, Haou begrudgingly followed. Johan, as well, tagged along behind them, somewhat reluctantly. Haou supposed it was because he was not sure how to assess the situation, and needed time to think about it. Their eyes met after a bit, and it seemed as though all was revealed between the two. Yes, they would be civil—at least Johan would. And yes, they would hang around each other. But it seemed from that point onward they were rivals for Juudai's attention. Affections? Not so much. At least, not in Haou's opinion. Perhaps Johan viewed it differently. Whatever the case, neither was pleased with the other's position.

Johan's emerald gaze flickered momentarily down to Juudai's hand, which still firmly clasped Haou's. The king had thought nothing of it because that was just the way Juudai was, overeager and unafraid of physical contact. But when he saw the _manner_ in which Johan regarded the action, he began to second guess Juudai's original intent, though he refused to encroach on the other's mind to read his thoughts on the matter. If Juudai really had those intentions, if he really felt that way, he would have said something. All the same, he kept his mouth shut. Only time would tell what Juudai truly meant by constantly seizing his hand. Hopefully, he was not trying to dominate him. Haou truly doubted this, and he truly doubted that Juudai meant anything by it either. Juudai may have been a prodigy, so to speak, but he was clueless when it came to these sorts of things. Haou was not much different, though he did possess basic knowledge of the matter.

They ended up having a good time nonetheless. Johan forgot about their dilemma, for the time being. Haou did not want to admit it, but he actually did enjoy the afternoon, as well as watching Juudai and Johan bury each other in the sand. By the time it was twilight, they had cleaned up and had eaten dinner, and were back in Juudai's dorm room, scheming again. Haou watched at they whispered to each other excitedly, wondering what more they could possibly have in mind for him.

All of the sudden, they seized his arms and dragged him out the door into the cool night air, grinning. They took Haou across the campus towards the main building, which had him even more confused. Were they planning on taking him to the dueling arena for a duel? He really hoped not. Then was not the time. But no, once inside the school, they went up the stairs, and several flights of them at that. They came to a landing and an opening in the ceiling, which Juudai shoved until it came off, revealing scattered jewels across an expanse of black. Stepping up into the darkness, Juudai reached out his hands and pulled Haou and Johan up on the roof with him. Haou blinked and looked around, then frowned.

"You're not supposed to be up here."

"Who cares?" Juudai said, outstretching his arms, "Life is short."

"Aw, come on. Don't be a stick in the mud," Johan prodded, poking Haou's arm and smiling, "It's really beautiful tonight. You should just relax and take it all in."

"Yeah," Juudai agreed, "Let's just look at the stars and see if we can make duel monsters out of them!"

Haou inwardly groaned, but they were persistent. Juudai and Johan each grabbed one of his arms and flopped down to the rooftop with him, lying on their backs with Haou between them. Haou frowned and tried to resist, but they kept finding a way to convince him, it seemed. Really, he was going to end up doing the stupidest things at this rate. Maybe if he had not felt so comfortable with them…Maybe if they had let him continue on his self-destructive path…That was not to say that he changed, though. He still planned on sticking to his goals. And he was not going to let them "manipulate" him forever. It was only that he was in a rather pleasant mood—at least as pleasant as he could be—and felt the need to get something out of the life that had been restored to him. After all, having wandered the lonely earth as a spirit for so long had stripped him of all humanity and all emotions. Juudai gave him a slight sense of renewal, though he figured he would never regain that which he had lost. It had not been entirely involuntary. He had paid the price for his power. For everything that was gained, something was lost.

Juudai shivered a bit and moved closer to Haou, causing the latter to stiffen. Johan as well curled up against the king. Although Haou knew that it was because Johan was just a very touchy person, that did not mean he entirely liked it. He was not used to be touched at all, not to mention being coddled. It made him feel…strange. He was not sure he liked it. Being so close to another human…it filled him with a sense of discomfort and even dread. It made him just want to push that person away; it almost made him want to cut all contact with that person. He was not sure why. He just had never been a very sociable individual. Most certainly, he was not the type of person to lie so closely to another. He had always been a loner, void of emotion and empathy. But then…

He inwardly shook his head in disbelief over himself. How could Juudai almost change his mind entirely about himself? Perhaps it was because they were the same person, and Juudai was a part of him. He could not help but rub off on the king. That must've been the full extent of it.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Juudai whispered in awe, almost as though a single word would shatter the tranquility.

"Yeah," Johan replied, hugging Haou's arm tighter.

Haou tensed, becoming stiff as a board. The others failed to take notice, too enthralled by the heavens above. They began to amuse themselves by spotting "duel monsters in the stars," as they so childishly put it. Haou tuned them out for a bit, though he did take the time to study the layout of the stars as well. It was rather impressive, he had to admit. In fact, perhaps it was not so uncomfortable after all. If only Johan would not be hanging onto him like that. He knew that the boy meant nothing by it. Still…

All the same, he ended up keeping his mouth shut. Being able to relax was enough. And there was something about the moment that was calming. There was something about being so close to Juudai that made him feel less tense. He supposed it was only natural for him to feel better with his other half nearby. It helped him to regain his strength and energy. He felt as though he could continue his work then, since he had the life force to do so. Perhaps all would be better again. If only there was not the ugly thought lingering in the back of his mind about the spirits that had been plaguing him.

Pushing it from his mind, he spent the rest of the evening until the wee hours of the morning lying on the rooftop between the two, lost in his thoughts. He spent some of the time planning. But most of the time, he thought about how he was going to solve the problem of his energy loss and the beasts invading his and Juudai's mind. Not to mention the thought of if he really wanted to do what he planned. He was not so sure he knew what he wanted anymore. Juudai had placed a certain doubt in his mind. It was inexplicable at the time, but later he would understand. Later he would regret the events that came about in the following weeks. Perhaps he did not know as much as he should have about people. In reality, he had a lot to learn. And little time to do so.

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**A/N: I'm sorry it was so…ehh. I dunno if you thought it was boring. I know it was repetitive but I could not help it too much. D: I'm sorry I'm teasing you so much. DX It's just I can't get em together all quickly and all. And I hope I didn't screw up Haou's character TOO much. D: Well, um, I'd like to say though…I'm getting a lil bit discouraged about my work since they CHANGED things with the stats..I used to update when I got a certain number of hits but I can't rly tell that too well anymore…And I haven't been getting as much feedback. I'm not saying I won't update without it. I'm just saying it would be really nice if you would review b/c Idk, as far as this story is concerned, if I'm making it boring or if I'm losing your interest or what…Though I will admit I feel as though I don't have enough dialogue in here. But Haou's a quiet person. DX Well, there will be moar dialogue next chapter then. :P**


	11. Chapter 11: The First Discovery

**A/N: You guys know what this chapter is! Dun dun dun DUN! Yup, that's right, Haou's about to make some big connections. :D And there will be moar revelation to what those beasties are. Lol. And I'm glad that they changed the stats back to normal b/c I was rly pissed about that. Woooo. I'm happy now haha. I just hope that I don't make this crazy cuz I'm frickin hyper. 8D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 11:The First Discovery

For the past few days, Juudai and Johan had continued to pester Haou in great attempts to 'cheer him up.' Although it did little more than annoy him and waste time he could have used for better things—such as finding a way back to Dark World or becoming ruler of Juudai's world—he could not help but find it a little comforting. After all, no one had really ever gone to such lengths to try to make him feel better. He'd just sort of existed…and been lonely despite himself. He had to admit, having someone around made him somewhat _feel_ again. On one hand, it was exhilarating to be able to feel small relief. On another, it was a problem because it might hinder him to have even the slightest hint of emotion. But as much as he'd have liked to crush it again, he could not bring himself to. Living without it for so long had left him so unfulfilled, even as miserable as it could be at times. It was better to live with it, since he remembered what it was like.

He had also noticed that some of his energy had been restored. This was an effect of two reasons: Juudai was spending less time dueling and more time with him. Granted, he did not feel perfect, but at least he did not feel like he was going to drop dead at any given moment.

Currently, though, he was feeling a little tired and was sitting on Juudai's bed, looking through a book on technology. He was trying to concentrate and figure out how the deathbelts worked, but a certain brunet sitting on the top bunk had other plans.

Juudai hung over the edge suddenly, popping in Haou's face. The king jumped a little despite himself. He sent Juudai a warning glare. In response, Juudai blinked. He smiled around the stick of pocky in his mouth.

"Hey, Haou, what's up?" He greeted cheerily.

"Juudai, I'm very busy," Haou responded, having no interest whatsoever in a conversation. He held his book higher over his face, using it as a wall between himself and Juudai. He hoped the other got the hint.

Either he did not or he just disregarded it. He poked a stick of pocky over the edge of Haou's book. It hit his nose. Haou stared at it cross-eyed for a moment, not amused.

"Want some?" Juudai asked, smiling and offering him a stick.

"No, get that out of my face." Haou swatted it away, annoyed.

Juudai dropped down from the bunk, somehow managing to crash land on Haou's knees. Haou stared at him, startled. Grinning, Juudai shoved the pocky in his face again. "Come on. It'll make you feel better!" He insisted, poking it against Haou's tightly sealed lips.

Haou refused to open his mouth. But Juudai was persistent. In fact, he annoyed Haou so much that he eventually could hold his tongue no longer. "Stop that!"

No sooner than Haou had opened his mouth, Juudai shoved the pocky in. Haou glowered at him, but Juudai kept smiling. "It's not so bad, is it?" He pulled another stick out of the box he was holding and offered it to Haou.

Haou scowled in response. "I don't like it."

"Why not?" Juudai seemed puzzled.

"It's too sweet. Now leave me to do my work." Haou shoved Juudai off his knees and turned back to his book.

"How boring," Juudai remarked, pouting. He tried again to get Haou's attention.

Haou ignored him. No matter how much Juudai protested, he refused to advert his gaze to the brunet. Finally seeing that Haou was not in the mood to fool around, Juudai stood and walked towards the door. He turned and cast one last glance at Haou, looking disappointed.

"Since you're cranky, I'll just wait for you to feel better. I'm going to go see Johan."

Haou stiffened at the mention of Johan. This piqued his interest. Slowly, he lowered his book just enough to peek over the edge at Juudai. As much as he wanted to concentrate on his work, this annoyed him. He didn't want Juudai to go messing around with Johan! True, he had come to terms with the envy that it created inside of him. He was not going to deny that any longer. It made him jealous that Juudai would seemingly rather spend time with Johan than him. But this was not really true. Juudai was just trying to get Haou to talk to him. He could pick up on Haou's jealousy and he knew it. Haou refused to let that get to him, though. It didn't matter, he told himself. Juudai could go traipsing off with Johan and he wouldn't let himself care. After all, he had better things to do than entertain the brunet all day.

He stared at Juudai for a moment, then let his gaze drift back down to the book, seemingly unbothered. Oh, but he was. Inside his blood was boiling. He just let himself simmer. Negative emotions were all right with him. It was the reason for them that made him uncomfortable. Was _that_ really the case? He wasn't sure…He didn't want to believe it.

Seeing that Haou was not going to budge even if he really wanted to talk, Juudai opened the door and slipped out, calling back a goodbye. Haou grunted in response, turning the page of his book. As soon as the door was closed, however, he dropped the book and scowled deeply at the door. Grumbling, he stood and paced around the room, trying to figure out what he wanted to do about this predicament.

So, he wanted to talk to Juudai more. That was…different. Maybe it was just thousands of years of loneliness. Well, that was all right, then. He could handle listening to Juudai to a certain degree but…talking back? What was he supposed to say? He was a very private person and was not sure how much he wanted to reveal. Though, Juudai _was_ him so did it really matter? Couldn't he talk to himself? He supposed he could try. Problem was, he had spent many years practicing silence and refrain. This was definitely going to pose a problem. He did not know how much time he wanted to spend around the brunet. Did he even care at all? Or did he just want to take something from Johan just because he did not have it? Was that all it was? Greed? He gritted his teeth. Human nature did dictate that if one was interested in something, then others would want it. It made sense for him to want Juudai around just because Johan exhibited major interest in him. But at the same time, he wondered if he just did not want Juudai around Johan because he was afraid that that would cause Juudai to like him less. Juudai, after all, would not approve of the things he stood for. At the same time, they were the same person, so shouldn't he be able to cope with it and accept it? It was all so confusing. His head hurt.

Presently, he came to a halt in the middle of the room. What was he doing, pacing back and forth like an indecisive fool? He had to get back to his research! Or else…he might not return to Dark World. Sighing and muttering under his breath, he started to head back over to the bed. Suddenly, he stopped, tensing. What was that he had just heard? He turned slowly towards the closet, and listened intently. Nothing. Concluding it was his imagination playing tricks on him, he flopped back down on the bed. He really needed to stop worrying so much. Things would work themselves out if he just waited.

As he was flipping through the book, looking for a chapter that might give him some insight on technological devices that could cause harm, he heard a small whine from the direction of the closet. Had that been his imagination too? He lowered his book and peered above it at the closet. He stared at the closet door for a long time, sitting as still as possible. Nothing. But he had definitely heard something a moment before. It was not his imagination, was it? He wondered if he truly were going crazy.

Since he was finding it difficult to focus on his book while worrying about what might be in that closet, he finally decided to go check it out. He put the book down and slowly straightened up. Carefully, he made his way across the room, and put a hand on the doorknob. He pressed his ear to the door and listened for anything, any sort of movement or noise. There was quiet. Still not convinced, he turned the knob slowly, and opened the door.

He could see nothing for a moment, only clutter. Then, much to his surprise, a black streak flew out of the closet and scurried under the bed. Frowning, he marched over to the bed and knelt on the floor, looking underneath. He found himself looking at Friendog, who was cowering and whimpering.

Needless to say, Haou was truly startled. A duel monster…in this world? Was it only a spirit? No, it was not transparent. It seemed solid. So, what did this mean? Did it mean that duel monsters did exist in this world, or did it mean…? His eyes widened. There must be a portal back to Dark World somewhere! He felt a rush of excitement wash over him. Maybe he could go back!

As he started to pick himself up off the floor, ready to further investigate the closet, he noticed Friendog start to tremble and back away. He wondered if he was scaring the duel monster. Experimentally, he reached out. But Friendog did not back away from him. Puzzled, he watched the dog's behavior, trying to figure out what it was.

There was a low growl behind him. Haou froze. He recognized that growl. Slowly, he turned, unsure of what he might encounter. He really hoped it was not what he thought it was.

He found himself staring into carmine eyes and glinting silver fangs. Only, this time, it was not a vision in his mind. It was there, in the flesh, standing in front of him. He felt his blood run cold. The same beast that had been tormenting him…was standing mere inches from his face. And it was alive. If that were the case…had it really been coming to him at night and injuring him? Was it a duel monster too? What was going on?

It moved towards him, causing him to back away. He glanced quickly around the room, looking for anything he could use as a weapon. There was not much in the room he could use. Inwardly, he cursed. His dark energy would have to suffice if push came to shove. By the time he finished deciding this, the beast had cornered him, and was gazing down at him in hungry interest. Was that all he was, some _animal's_ meal? Oh, no, he was _not_ going to let himself be so demeaned.

Fury and indignation flowed through his veins as he watched the creature's every move intently. He tensed, preparing himself for an attack. The monster's arm twitched, a silent indication that it was about to raise it and strike. Haou would not allow this. Before it had the chance, he expelled a rather large burst of energy, slamming it so hard against the wall, the entire dorm shook.

He panted from the exertion and rushed to the other side of the room. At least he was not in the corner anymore. That was the worst place he could be. Staring the animal down, he stood very still, waiting. The only sounds were that of the beast's low growls, Friendog's whimpering, and his own heavy breathing. There was a long, tense silence.

Suddenly, the demon shot up and rushed at Haou, its claws extended and ready to tear him to shreds. He ducked, causing it to crash into the wall. It started to collapse on top of him, but he leapt out of the way. Unfortunately, he lost his balance and fell on his back, leaving him vulnerable to the creature, who soon recovered its shock. It jumped at the chance and pinned Haou down to the floor, its claws digging painfully into his shoulder. Haou struggled and attempted to release another surge of dark energy, only to find it much weaker than before. Murmuring a curse, he realized that Juudai was dueling at the moment, and feeding off his energy. Great. Of _all_ times for Juudai to decide to duel. He would have to find some other way to defeat this enemy.

Before he could come up with a solution, though, the beast raised its arm and started to bring its claws down on his neck. He grasped its wrist, managing to hold it off, though the razor sharp claws were only inches from his throat. He kicked at the beast, trying to knock it over so he could take control again. Well, if he wanted that, he was going to need a little help, it seemed.

As the two struggled, neither noticed the mechanical dog slipping quietly out from under the bed. Friendog paused, then leapt on the creature's back, finally having gained the courage. Perhaps it was because Haou _was_ Juudai. But whatever the reason, Friendog attacked, and refused to let go once it had gotten hold of the creature.

The momentary distraction was all Haou needed to gain the upper hand. He jumped to his feet and let out another burst of energy to stun the creature. This time, it did its job well. The animal howled and tried its best to shake Friendog off, but only ended up falling to the floor. Taking advantage of the situation, Haou searched the room for some sort of weapon to finish it off. He found his duel disk in the corner, and wondered if he could conjure a monster to take care of this demon. He did not waste any time. Hurriedly, he placed a monster on the duel disk, and ordered it to attack. The attack went right through the creature. Realizing that it was nothing but an image, he cursed under his breath and put the duel disk on the bed. If only they had been in Dark World…

As the animal began to recover and get to its feet, Haou searched for something else he could use. He just so happened to peek in the closet. That was when he saw it. It was not a very good weapon, but it would have to do. He snatched the polished mirror and felt the sturdy brass frame. Well, it should at least stun the creature. Never mind superstitions. He was going to do what he had to do.

He moved quickly. Charging at the beast, he swung the mirror at it, and broke it over the animal's head. No sooner had the mirror shattered into a thousand tiny shards, the animal let out a deafening roar, and thrashed as though in pain. There was a large flash of white light, followed by a powerful surge of energy, which slammed Haou against the wall. The light blinded him; it was so bright it made his head ache. As much as he felt he needed to watch what happened, he could not help but squeeze his eyes shut. There was a loud, shrill noise, as though the very fabric of time were ripping, and a violent wind whipped around him, pushing him closer to the wall. He felt as though the dorm might fall to pieces at this rate.

And then, just like that, it was all over. He sat still, panting, becoming aware that he was digging his trembling fingers into the floor. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and looked around. The creature was gone. There was no indication that it had ever been there, except for the mess in the room. Friendog was nowhere in sight either. The only thing that convinced him that it had not been a dream was the broken mirror.

Shakily, he stood, and walked over to the middle of the room. He knelt by the shards of glass on the floor and stared down at them. He jumped a little at the sight of his broken reflection, which soon disappeared as the mirror reflected nothing. Slowly, something else began to appear: a faint red light. He watched as it formed into symbols of katakana. Once more, it was backwards, so he could not read it. Finally, he picked up a fragment of mirror and used it to reflect the word so he could read it. His eyes widened at what he saw.

_Shatter_.

It began to click. Slowly, he stood, still clutching the piece of mirror in his hand. "Shatter," He whispered, staring out the window.

He flashed back to the day the stranger had come to his castle, offering him a great treasure. What was it that the man had said, again? _"If you give me__ a place to stay for the night, __then you will find it to be greatly worth your while. You will receive a reward beyond your wildest dreams, and you will find a treasure on the other side that is far more valuable than anything you could ever buy or even find in this world. It will save you from the imminent downfall of this world."_

At the time, he had scoffed at the man and had not believed him. Yet…there he was, in some unknown world. And how had he entered? All he remembered was being extremely sick, and walking over to that mysterious mirror, delusional thoughts flying through his mind. Had it really been his imagination? Or had he really…?

And then there had been those mirrors in Juudai's mind. The one that said something similar: restore. And that had been the one to transport him back to a state of consciousness, had it not? So what did this all mean? Did it mean…?

He stared back down at the mirror fragment in his hand. Closing his fingers around it tightly, his fist shaking, a sick smirk spread across his features. This was good. Very good. This could mean that everything he had ever wished for was finally within his grasp. But he must be careful. These could be a disadvantage too, since he did not know much about them. But he did not know exactly how close to perdition he was...

Feeling something sticky and warm in his hand, he slowly uncurled his fingers. When he did so, blood trickled out of his palm onto the floor. He had grasped the sharp piece too tightly. But he did not care. He was too overwhelmed by his discovery. He could get back to Dark World if he just figured out how to use these. And he just might be able to conquer and control Juudai's world, too, if he had this precious link between the two worlds.

For the time being, he would lay low. After all, he _had_ destroyed the only mirror in sight that could do him any good. But he was convinced that it was not the only one. There had been others he had encountered, after all. He would just have to wait for the opportunity to come to him. Yes, the stranger had been right. He could do and get whatever he wanted. But only if he had the _opportunity_. And the opportunity was there.

* * *

It was only later in the day that Haou bumped into Juudai again. In fact, it was in the Osiris dorm cafeteria at dinnertime. By then, he had calmed down from his discovery earlier that day, and was back to his normal stoic self. He watched in dismay as Juudai sat across from Johan at one of the tables. The other two seats were occupied by Sho and Kenzan. Well, he would not get the chance to sit and talk to Juudai that evening. He did not even try to quell his jealousy. He just let it wash over him as he tried to find an empty table to sit at. No such luck. Before he could even try to find a place to sit to brood by himself, Manjoume had beckoned for him to go sit with him. Well, technically he did not _have_ to and he would not had he not gotten the delicious idea in his mind. Maybe he could make Juudai want to talk to him by not being available. It sounded like a good idea to him.

In all reality, this was just a childish way of getting back at Juudai and trying to make him jealous as well. Haou knew this deep inside. He knew that he it was just an immature impulse so he quickly shook it from his mind. Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. Was he willing to go so far just for Juudai's attention? What was he thinking? He really did not understand why he was beginning to have these crazy ideas. All he knew was that it bothered him. He had never wanted to do something so foolish, especially not for someone else.

In the end, he made up his mind and just sat with Manjoume. There wasn't really anyone else he could bear to sit with, anyway. They all bombarded him with questions and annoying comments about how 'awesome' his dueling was. So what? He had only won a few games. That gave them no right to fawn all over him. Of course, he might have expected them to admire him, but from _afar_. This was all getting quite annoying. Even Manjoume fawned all over him. Thankfully it was not nearly so evident because he was trying to play it cool to impress him. Yet…

Before he could even so much as finish his thought, Manjoume broke the silence between them. "You seem off today." It was blunt. It was to the point. It was…rude.

Haou scowled deeply as he took a dainty bite of his fish. He chewed for a moment and swallowed before replying. "Is that so?"

"Yeah…you seem…I don't know. Miffed? Jealous?" How was it that obvious? Or was Manjoume just that perceptive?

Haou thought of a good way to respond to this comment. Finally, he said philosophically, "It is human nature to have times when one envies another's gain."

Rolling his eyes, Manjoume muttered, "Well, duh. Damn, aren't you full of it today?"

Haou's eyes narrowed into golden slits. "Do you have a problem?" He asked, laying his chopsticks down on his plate and looking directly at Manjoume.

"As a matter of fact, yes I do." Manjoume replied, glaring down at his food. "Maybe I'm jealous too."

Haou raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" Well, he could see where _this_ was going. And he was not so sure he liked it.

"What does Juudai have that I don't?" Manjoume asked, glowering, "You're supposed to be training _me_. But you barely spend any time with me."

Haou blinked. "Is that it? Well, there's no need to worry. I will keep my promise when the time is right. As for Juudai? He has nothing to do with the fact that I haven't spent much time working with you."

Despite his words, he was not sure if this were really the truth. Had he gotten so caught up in his envy over Johan that he had forgotten that crucial part of his plan? He did need Manjoume as a pawn but…if he wanted that, then he would have to work with him and keep him from getting discontent. Already, Manjoume was eyeing him suspiciously. He did not need this. He needed Manjoume's cooperation! He needed the other's trust as well. So he would have to be more careful. Perhaps if he played his cards right, he could use Manjoume as more than a pawn of conquering…

Once more, that possibility entered his mind. He tried to chase it away. But the more he thought about it, the more appealing it sounded. Suppose he _did_ act on this childish impulse. Suppose he _did _useManjoume to make Juudai jealous. After all, it was obvious that the boy had a bit of a crush on him. But would it really work? That was the question. Would it be worth his effort? Was this even something he would normally do? Something had to be messing with his head…Suddenly, he no longer had an appetite.

"I'll work with you early tomorrow morning before class," Haou muttered, standing.

"Wait, where are you going?" Manjoume asked, looking surprised, "Did I make you mad?"

"It does not matter my reasons. I will see you tomorrow," Haou said curtly, even coldly.

Manjoume opened his mouth to protest, but Haou would hear none of it. He turned and hurried towards the door, ignoring Juudai and Johan as best as he could.

As he stepped through the door, he caught a glimpse of the two out of the corner of his eye. It was only for a brief moment, but it was enough to make him nearly sick to his stomach in surprise and disgust. Johan leaned over, brushing his lips to Juudai's chin, close to his lips, his hand on the other's face. The door slammed hard, causing them to jump. Both looked at the door, wondering who had just left and what he had been angry about. Neither of them knew the truth, the truth that even Haou was finding difficulty in accepting.

* * *

"Sick," Haou grumbled to himself, trudging along the path later that evening. He had been wandering around for hours, trying to think things over. But every time he tried to clear his mind of his problem, it kept coming back. And he knew it was wrong. "Sick, sick, SICK."

It was enough to make him _hate_. He was not sure what he hated, whether it was Juudai or Johan or Manjoume or even himself. But it did not matter. It was all the same either way. It was wrong, it was disgusting; Juudai was the same person, for God's sake! Granted, it was a little bit different than vanity, but still. Such an atrocity must not be committed. He must _not_ let himself fall victim to such a hideous feeling. Whether it was attraction or lust or a need for a friend he did not care. It all led down the same path to him. It all meant that he was becoming weak. And if he wanted to continue with his plans, then he could have no room for such petty things. He knew he had been pushing this problem aside for awhile, then, which only disturbed him even more. How long _had_ he felt that way? How long had he…?

Well, in the very least, it was not that bad. He figured he had caught it early enough to crush. After all, it was probably just jealousy. That was all. He just wanted something he did not have. And once he had it, then he would not want it any more. It was simple as that. He did not need to obtain Juudai if he told himself this truth. All he had to do then was forget about it. It could not be that hard, could it?

Maybe he just wanted Juudai's friendship. Maybe that was all it was. To be honest, he did not know. He just could not tell the difference. He was far too confused. It hurt his head to think about it, so he decided he should not dwell on it much longer. Just long enough to figure out exactly what he was going to do and exactly what he wanted.

What did he want?

Puzzled, he finally sat down beneath a tree near a cliff, which just so happened to be Juudai's favorite spot. He pulled his knees up to his chest and stared out over the ocean, watching the moonlight sparkle off the dark waters. Sighing, he leaned against the rough bark of the tree and went over everything in his mind again. He did not necessarily want Juudai in a perverted way. So it could not be lust then. He did not have the urge to treat Juudai the same way Johan treated him, so it could not be attraction. And he really wanted to be around him. He wanted to be able to share things with Juudai and trust him. That led him to one conclusion: he wanted Juudai's friendship.

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him. A wave of relief washed over him. It had just been so long since he had had any sort of relationship with anyone…they all kind of melted together. But at least he realized that he did _not_ want Juudai in the same way Johan did. That concern had been resolved.

And yet…

There was still this quandary. What was he to do? Sit around and go on like normal? Should he just sit back and wait for things to play out? He knew he should not go looking for Juudai's friendship. That might make things worse for him. But, at the same time…

Worry. Intense worry. It felt awful. The anxiety…it was all coming back to him. And he hated it with a passion. And he just wished he had never come to this world. It was making him crazy. Taking a deep breath, he dug his fingers into the soil, and let it sift through his fingers. He took another deep breath, inhaling the earthy smell as he tried to clear his mind. Gradually, he crushed the newfound emotions until he felt nothing again.

Numbness. What sort of life was lived like that? What sort of fulfillment did that bring? How could he be happy with his accomplishments if he felt…nothing? Nothing at all? And yet, it hurt too. It made everything ache dully. It made him…empty. He almost even thought he did not have a soul. Did he really have a purpose to life, then? If he was not taking pleasure in what he gained? Maybe that was why he was jealous of Johan. Because he was so happy. Because his love for dueling and Juudai fueled him. Other than Juudai, Haou had never seen anyone as happy and fulfilled as Johan. Did those things, happiness and love, make life worth living? Maybe that was why he could not find peace. Maybe that was why…his spirit had grown so weak and sickly that he had nearly died. He was destroying himself by pushing these things away. He was not reaching his full potential.

That was when he decided to experiment. For a few days, he would let himself fall gradually into slight emotion. He would try to find something good about his life, though he was not going to embrace it. He just wanted to make sure he was not missing anything. And it was not like he could not turn back around and change his mind. It was not like he was going to be going around smiling and spreading joy to those around him. No, it would be a slight change. But maybe it would be enough for him to figure out what made Johan and Juudai so…content.

That was it. He was dissatisfied. There were things he was missing out on, and he did not know what those things were. But he would find out. Though he was not sure he would ever change his ways. Actually, he knew he would never change permanently. But if he could at least get a brief taste, then maybe it would be all worth it.

Maybe in the end…what he was telling himself was that he would let Juudai in. He was going to allow himself a friendship with Juudai. If only he knew how to handle it. If only he could figure out how to convey that he wanted to talk to Juudai. But it just made him too uncomfortable. He did not know if he could ever accomplish this goal.

Why was it so hard for him? Frustration washed over him. What was he supposed to do? It just was not easy to do the things he felt he should do. Actually, he did not know what he was supposed to do. Should he just…forget about it?

Before he had a chance to grow angry over it, he was torn from his thoughts by the sound of a twig snapping. Immediately, he stiffened. There had been so many enemies lately. He never knew when he was in danger again.

This time, though, he had no need to worry. It was only Juudai who stepped slowly out of the trees. He stopped when he saw Haou, and seemed indecisive. The two stared at each other for a moment, involuntarily and unconsciously communicating. Haou felt Juudai's confusion and frustration, which equaled his own. Only…something else was bothering him. Something that he was withholding.

The brunet carefully sat down next to Haou and brought his knees to his chest in a likewise fashion. They sat in silence for several long moments, each to his own thoughts. A lengthy sigh from Juudai prompted Haou to glance over, and their gazes locked again. Juudai's large dark eyes seemed almost even sad. Though he was smiling, he was torn inside.

"Can I talk to you?"

The question surprised Haou. He stared at Juudai for a moment, dumbfounded. Finally, he nodded slowly as he began to realize what Juudai wanted.

There was another long silence before Juudai finally spoke again. He sighed and ran a hand through his choppy brown hair as he told Haou, "I don't know what to do."

"What do you mean?" Haou could not help but prod for more information. He was worried about his Hikari, despite himself.

"Johan's…he's…" Juudai fumbled with his jacket, staring down at his hands as he struggled to put the right words together. "He's coming on way too strong."

Haou nodded slowly as the information sank in. He did not want to draw any conclusions right away, so he would not allow himself to think about this comment before Juudai explained himself.

"I mean, he is my best friend. I really think he's awesome. And he's a great duelist. He's a lot of fun. And I don't mind some things…I don't mind hugging him or anything. He just…I wish I knew how to tell him to stop kissing me. I'm not interested in him like that. But I don't want to hurt him." Juudai explained, looking frustrated as he wrapped his arms around his legs, hugging them to himself.

Haou could not help but be surprised. He really should not have been. Though, he had thought that Juudai had liked him mutually. Just maybe not so much. "You don't like him the same way." It may have been spoken like a comment, but it really was a question.

Juudai shook his head. "I did like him for awhile. Just not as much as he liked me. He…he told me he loved me. I guess I just freaked out when he said that because I just don't want that."

Haou nodded and watched Juudai, waiting for him to continue. Juudai only dug his fingers in his sleeves and stared at the ocean for a long time, as though in thought. So Haou did not say anything either.

"I wish," Juudai finally broke the silence again, though his voice was very quiet, "that I knew how to let him down without totally ruining our friendship. I just wish that things didn't have to be this complicated."

A beat.

"Why are you telling me this?" Haou asked, frowning a little in thought. "Because I can't very well help you with your problem."

"I know," Juudai muttered, beginning to pick at the grass, "I just needed to talk to someone about it. I needed…to talk to you about it, believe it or not. I just felt comfortable telling you about it, though I don't really know why." He glanced up, grinning slightly. "And I guess I was hoping you could help me. You're really smart."

"So are you." Haou told him, frowning, "There's no reason why you can't figure this out on your own."

"I guess you're right," Juudai said slowly, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers, "But it's not like I want to be any less close. I don't know. There are just…some things that are really confusing me right now. And looks like you're having the same problem."

Haou refused to reply for a moment. He was not sure what to say. After all, it was true. But as it turned out, he did not have to say anything.

Grinning, Juudai slung an arm around his shoulders, giving him a little half hug. That was when he whispered something that Haou could not stop thinking about the entire night:

"Don't worry, Haou, I am your friend. You don't have to try to earn that. It's…not friendship that you have to earn from me."

As much as this puzzled Haou on the surface, he knew deep inside what Juudai meant. He did not reply as Juudai stood and eventually retreated back towards the dorm. It wasn't until much later that he did give his delayed reply.

"I know, Juudai, I know."

Haou did not move from that spot for the rest of the night.

* * *

**A/N: 8D Ok, so…maybe I lied by accident. This chapter didn't quite turn out the same way as I thought, just hinted at it. BUT it IS a turning point. Soon it will be explicitly stated how Haou got that body and all. I just could NOT cram it in and make it sound good here. OK?! Ok. Lol. I already crammed too much in here. DX Ummm but was it bad? 8DDD I don't care. I likes it. :P Though it WAS a little rushed/detached in places? Idk DX I guess I just didn't have enough closure but oh well. I still like it so whatever. D:**


	12. Chapter 12: Closer

**A/N: Ok, so last chapter didn't go as planned. ^^; I re-read the whole thing (again lol) and realized I was repetitive. DX Sorry guys you know how forgetful I am. Um, but I hope to make up for that. I really hope that my fic isn't getting boring or anything…I'm hoping to move the story along now that Haou realizes what he can do. This chapter, though, is when things start to get REALLY interesting. Though, I really really hope to get some moar hits on this b/c I almost didn't upload this b/c I was afraid ppl were bored and would stop reading. :( I know I've dragged it out a lot but plz stay with me here. I'm about to get to the good part. It just took a lot of development. DX**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

* * *

Chapter 12: Closer

Haou let out a loud sigh of exasperation as he dug through the closet. Another fruitless search. That must have been the hundredth closet he had searched through that day. And he had nothing to show for his hard work. All day, he had been looking through the closets in the main building, trying to find another mirror that he could use to return to Dark World. But there were no mirrors to be found. And those in the dorms and bathrooms were regular mirrors. He was getting rather discouraged. He did not know what he was going to do if he could not find a way back to Dark World. Truth be told, he was tired of Juudai's world. Since the moment he had arrived, he had accomplished nothing. He kept thinking of plans and the such, and yet had carried none of them out. If he only had the resources and his army, then he would be able to actually do something. But what did he have instead? Only himself and one lackey. And that one was barely worth his time. How was he ever going to get anything done if he did not have the capabilities himself?

Straightening up and brushing the dust off his sleeves, he took a moment to think again. Well, it seemed as though one person could not tackle this project. Maybe he should have thought a little more into this before making a decision. Maybe he should have worked harder to recruit 'servants.' But it was too late. He would have to think quickly. Otherwise, he would lose everything. What if he was stuck in Juudai's world forever? Growing alarmed at the possibility, he realized: he needed help.

It irked him. It irritated every fiber of his being. But he knew that if he really wanted his goals accomplished, he would have to trust someone else to help him. He would have to trust someone with the information that he was not from that world. But who would believe _that_? Who would want to help him? He knew that Juudai would believe him but still…He was reluctant to ask him. He was still worried that things would turn out badly if he trusted his other half.

But Juudai was him, he argued. So…should he ask for help? He was not sure. But…seeing how things had not been going according to plan for the past couple of months, not to mention his entire life, he supposed that it was something he should at least _try_. He had never really asked anyone for drastic help before. Nor had he asked them directly. He was too proud. But it was time that he let it go. He had to humble himself just this once. Just so he could get home. Just so he could gain everything he lost and then some. He was awfully homesick. Not to mention he really missed ruling over Dark World. He missed everything about being a king. He was not treated with the proper respect there. In fact, he was treated as some kid with talent. And he could do nothing about it since he could not disclose his true identity. No one would believe him and it would make him lose his chance to return to Dark World, not to mention make him lose his chance at gain.

That was it. He had made up his mind. He would enlist Juudai's help. But…how much should he tell him? He could not very well tell him who exactly he was. He did not want to disclose that much information. He decided that he would only tell him that he was from another world, another dimension. That should be enough information to suffice. If Juudai wanted to know more, he would tell him what he could. But he did not plan on telling Juudai that he was half of his soul. That might freak him out. Besides, he did not remember the entirety of the truth. He did not remember enough of their past together. So how could he even be sure that it was true? He just did not want to draw any incorrect conclusions. Until he was absolutely sure about that and his trust in Juudai, he was not going to talk to the other about that. He would rather keep him in the dark about that, anyway. Things would be to his advantage if he did.

He took a deep breath to clear his mind, then let it out slowly. Reminding himself that he could talk to Juudai, that Juudai would not tell, he tried to put together what he would say as he walked back towards the Osiris dorm. It would not be much, he told himself. Juudai was his light half; he could talk to him just as easily as he could talk to himself. Right? Well, maybe it was not _that_ easy. Still, it should be relatively easy. It should be relatively harmless. Once he talked to Juudai, he would see.

Why did this have to be so hard?

He just did _not_ want to let anyone in. The thought of needing help angered him. He felt his fists clench at the thought of being 'helpless.' So, he was not at that point yet. But needing help was one step closer to this state. He just did not understand how he could bring himself to ask. It should be simple. All he had to do was say 'I need your help.' Four little words. Maybe he should add a 'please' in there. But only if he was really desperate. It was looking as though he just might be desperate enough.

Despite all these odds, he almost did not do it. He almost turned around and walked away, letting his pride override common sense. In the end, he caught himself. Reminding himself about his resolution to try to let Juudai in, just to see if it was worth it, he forced himself to go up the stairs and enter Juudai's room. Well, he had made it thus far. But he was not safe yet. The hardest part was still ahead of him.

When he stepped inside the room, he found Juudai, Johan, Kenzan, and Sho all sitting cross-legged on the floor, their cards spread out. Haou sighed in exasperation again. He came around behind Juudai, and laid a hand on his shoulder. Juudai glanced up and flashed him a friendly grin, followed by a greeting.

"Hey, Haou!" He said cheerily, "We're comparing our cards and dueling a little. Want to join us?"

"No," Haou muttered, shifting uneasily and directing his gaze elsewhere, "I want to talk to you. Alone." He looked sullen.

Juudai blinked. "Can it wait?"

Haou knew if he let Juudai have his way, he would never ask. So, he shook his head. "No, it's important." He grimaced. Important was an understatement. This was so crucial that he was doing something he had never done in his life. Juudai had better understand what he was up against.

"Oh, um, Ok…" Juudai looked reluctant to leave his friends; however, he knew that Haou had something of extreme importance to tell him. After all, it was not every day that he came to Juudai like that. In fact, he had never done this before. There was an uneasy vibe about him that made Juudai feel nervous. He could sense Haou's distress. So, he wordlessly followed the other outside.

Haou led him off a ways, then, looking both ways suspiciously: "Is there anyplace we can go that it is guaranteed that no one will find us or hear what we're talking about?"

Juudai looked surprised, however, he nodded. "Yeah…there are some places. It just depends on how important or secret it is. How would you rate it on a scale of one to ten?" He blinked.

Haou sighed heavily. "Must I?"

"Well, I kind of want to know so I can figure out where we need to go." Juudai planted his hands on his hips and looked annoyed.

"Ten," Haou grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, irritated.

"Hmm, I see. Come on, then." Juudai waved his hand for Haou to follow.

Even though Haou was cynical about the matter, he followed Juudai anyway. They walked silently through the woods for awhile, taking care not to make any noise. Haou was not sure where they were going, but he did not feel comfortable in the least. Part of him was watching Juudai's every move, as though the brunet might suddenly attack him. Even though this was ridiculous, it was just an instinct of his. He'd had far too many enemies in the past, some of which were disguised as allies. Of course, Juudai was not this type in the least. Haou knew that. But still...his distrust for all humanity caused him to raise his guard since they were alone.

They came to a clearing, where there was a rather run-down looking building. Haou frowned as Juudai stepped over the sign that so blatantly ordered 'keep out.' All the same, he continued to follow Juudai. He only stepped over the chain as well, and hurriedly made his way up to the door, then quietly stepped inside.

The interior was dark and musty; there was dust everywhere. He wrinkled his nose in disdain at the condition of the living quarters. What sort of place was this? He gave Juudai a pointed look, his eyes almost glowing in the dark. The brunet only gave him a glance, signaling that he should follow him again, and to be quiet. Haou complied and walked down a narrow hall with him, until they reached a door. Juudai slipped through the door, and held it open a ways for Haou to slip through as well. Then, he quietly closed it behind them.

The room was very small and bare; there was not even any furniture in it. There was one small window and a closet off to the side, with the door off its hinges. But other than that, there was nothing but them and the dust in the air. They were completely alone.

"Ok," Juudai said in a low tone, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Haou frowned. "Was it really necessary to come all the way out to here?" He glanced about, on the highest alert. He really had a bad feeling about this. There was tension in the air. Something was there…He just could not quite put his finger on it.

"Well, you said it was really really important. And no one ever comes here. We shouldn't be here either since we could get expelled, but I don't care. If it's that important…" Juudai trailed off, and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for Haou to say something.

Sighing, Haou took a moment to think and choose his words carefully. "Juudai, do you remember that day that you met me?"

"Hmm," Juudai put a finger on his chin in thought, staring up at the ceiling. Then, he shifted his gaze back towards Haou. "Yeah. What about it?"

"Don't you find it strange that I just came out of nowhere?" Haou queried, arching an eyebrow.

"Well, not really since that sort of thing tends to happen around here. But…I guess it could be kind of weird." Juudai shrugged.

Haou grimaced. He did _not_ want to continue. More than anything, he wanted to just drop it at that. But he knew he _had_ to open up. Gritting his teeth, he forced the words to come out. "Would you believe me if I told you that I was not from this world?"

Juudai's dark eyes locked with his; he looked surprised. "You're not kidding, are you?"

Haou shook his head. "I'm serious."

"Does that mean you're an alien?" Juudai teased gently, earning a death glare from Haou. "Ok, Ok, kidding, kidding. I'm sorry. I should take this more seriously. Well…I don't know how that could happen but…I guess it's possible."

"It's very possible," Haou muttered, his frown deepening, "It's not too different from your world. Well, not to the extreme you would think. There are people just like in this world. It's sort of like a parallel universe."  
"A parallel universe, huh?" Juudai seemed intrigued, "Awesome…" He seemed awestruck momentarily, then, he seemed puzzled. "Wait, if you're from a different universe, then how'd you get here?"

"Sadly enough, I just figured that out recently," Haou grumbled, looking annoyed. No, he had known it deep inside. He just had not really connected the thoughts. "There was some sort of…portal through…a mirror. I know that sounds absolutely _ridiculous_ and it is…but…I just know what happened."  
"So it's like Alice in Wonderland," Juudai remarked, not amused. "Oh, come on, now. Everyone knows that story."

Haou glowered. "I don't. And I don't appreciate that you're making fun of this. I'm very serious. Do I look like the type to jest?"

Juudai backed away a little, holding his hands up slightly. "Ok, Ok. Don't get so mad. Relax. I believe you. I just…find it a little odd, that's all. I mean, I guess I shouldn't with everything I come across but…you know. But forget about that. Just…tell me why this is so important that it can't wait."

Haou thought for a moment. How much should he tell Juudai? Should he just say that he wanted to find a portal back to his world? Or should he mention how he knew the portals were in Juudai's world? He finally decided to give him a little more information than he had originally opted for, since Juudai seemed skeptical. Though, in all reality, Juudai was only playing around with him.

"Well," Haou said thoughtfully, "It's important because I have a life back in my world and I've been trying to find some way to get back. Recently I found that there were these mirrors in this world but…I..."

"But you what?" Juudai leaned forward a little.

"I…broke the only one I came across." Haou glanced down at the floor, "And I've been looking for more. But, in all honesty, I don't know if there are anymore at this point. I thought there were but…I can't find any. So…" This was harder than he had originally thought. And he had known it would be difficult.

"What?" Juudai looked at him expectedly.

"I need your help," Haou grumbled under his breath, sounding bitter.

Juudai's eyes widened a bit in surprise. "My help?" He pointed a finger at his nose, as though uncertain that Haou really was talking to him. He glanced about him on each side, confused. "Really?"

Haou grimaced and nodded slowly. "I want you to help me find these mirrors. And…I guess I was hoping you might know of some other way to leave this world in case we can't find one." He cut off at that point, looking sullen.

"Sure! I can help you." Juudai seemed cheerful at this idea. "I'll do whatever I can. I'm sure we'll be able to find a way for you to get back."

Haou shifted from one foot to the other, feeling uneasy and distrustful. "So you believe me." A statement. Not a question.

"Of course I do," Juudai replied, blinking, "And not because I'd just believe anyone that came to me with that crazy story. Like I said before, you and I have a connection. I know you're telling the truth." He grinned as he gestured to himself and to Haou. Then, his face took on a more serious expression. "So, when do you want to start looking again?"

"I was looking today," Haou muttered, his gaze sliding off to the side so he would not have to stare into Juudai's chocolate eyes, "and I was hoping to find something."

"Hmm," Juudai placed a finger and a thumb on his chin, looking thoughtful again, "Well, I can help you look today if you'd like. I love a great adventure as much as the next guy. So, is that Ok with you?"

Haou grumbled an affirmation beneath his breath. Even though he was partially relieved, he was also partially regretting this.

Juudai started to turn around to walk out, then stopped. He threw a glance over his shoulder at Haou. "Do you want me to get Johan or someone else to help—"

"No, thank you." Haou said quickly, his scowl deepening.

"Oh, um, Ok…" Juudai slipped out of the room, though he glanced at Haou with a look of confusion etched across his features.

Begrudgingly, Haou followed Juudai out of the room and down the narrow hall. Catching a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye, he stopped. Had that been…? Slowly, he inched towards the threshold of the doorway and peered into the dark, dusty room. He swiped a few cobwebs out of his face so he could see better as he leaned in the doorway. He saw a dim glint that soon disappeared into the shadows. Frowning, he carefully stepped into the room, letting his fingers slip off of the door frame one by one as they brushed against the rough texture of the wall.

He walked slowly to the middle of the room, looking about him at the antique furniture stacked against the wall. Some of the pieces looked to be even centuries old. There were armoires, writing desks, chairs, and wooden frames all pushed against each other and haphazardly arranged. He had to weave through the furniture in order to get near the corner where he had seen the movement.

Peering closer, he tried to get a good look at the corner without getting too close. It was impossible with the chair in his way. Grumbling softly beneath his breath, he shoved it aside. He found himself gazing into mournful brown eyes. He froze. Those eyes…he had seen them before…

Something deep inside him hurt looking at the raw emotion in those eyes. He wanted…to know what was wrong. They mesmerized him. He found himself slowly walking towards them, his head tilting a bit to one side, his brow furrowing. They were almost calling to him, dragging his soul in…farther…and farther. He could hear a very distant chanting in the background. The closer he drew, the louder it became until it was a deafening roar. Yet he could not make out the words. He just kept staring at those forsaken eyes, enthralled.

The scene in front of him began to blur; the very air around it seemed to morph and bend. It was almost like liquid, with ripples moving outward from the eyes. He suddenly dug his feet into the ground, trying to shake off the fog as he realized what was going on. This was, in reality, a haven for the spirits. Just this episode proved that. He struggled with himself for a moment, and tried to use his dark energy to pull away from the enchantment.

"Haou?" He vaguely heard Juudai's voice call from the hallway, but he did not answer it. He couldn't. He was too busy fighting to release himself from the spell.

Juudai's voice faded away into the background as the chanting grew louder and more overwhelming, so much so that it drowned all of his other senses out. It sent a sharp pain through his head, almost as though his very skull was cracking open. He gritted his teeth and tried to shut it out, covering his ears. That was when the words chanted sounded less like gibberish and more like actual human speech. However, he would have rather it had been gibberish. The words sent a chill up his spine. His blood ran cold.

_"All hail the king…"_

Despite himself, he found that he was backing away. And with good reason too. No wonder those eyes looked so familiar. That dream…what he had seen in the mirror…Was it only the spirits coming to mock him? He did not want to be too surprised by this. He had known it was coming. Yet…it was such a shock…

He felt red-hot agony shooting down his spine. It was a sharp contrast to the freezing air that seemed to be passing into his body and seeping into every cell. It caused his whole body to ache as it succumbed to the ailment. And he was still weaker than he normally would be. There was not much he could do, especially since whatever it was seemed to be overshadowing him.

He heard a faint noise in the background, which gradually grew louder, but still muffled. He cupped his hands harder over his ears as it combined with the chanting, making it painfully confusing and loud. He gritted his teeth and silently hoped it would stop soon. It was too much for him to stand.

He felt something light touch his shoulder blades. His entire body jolted at the contact; it was both unexpected and painful. It caused him to stumble back a little, but he did not fall. Something caught him. Only, whoever or whatever caught him did not seem to be an enemy. The touch was warm and gentle. Still, he could not be sure. He tried to resist and struggle, but it was useless. He was already fighting off the spirit that was trying to invade his mind. Thankfully, the new presence seemed to ward it off. Slowly, the room came back into focus, and the chanting faded away into the distance.

He blinked as his vision adjusted, then became aware that someone's arms were tightly wrapped around him. Slowly, he brought his gaze up from the floor, and found himself staring into brown eyes. He tensed slightly, at first thinking that they had captured him. But, no, it was only Juudai, staring at him in concern. He tried to jerk away from Juudai, but the other only tightened his grip.

"Hey, are you Ok?" Juudai asked, leaning in his face intrusively.

Haou grimaced and tried to regain his personal space. "Yes, I'm fine!" He snapped. But in all reality, he was not so sure.

"You don't seem Ok," Juudai remarked, patting him on the back, "When I walked in here it was like you were in a trance or something. And you were all shaky…"

Haou sent him a chilling glare. He was embarrassed to have fallen victim to such a petty thing. He could conquer such things with ease! In fact, he could beat almost any entity with his hands tied behind his back and blindfolded! But this…What was wrong with him? He knew that he was weaker since Juudai was dueling and since they had been split in half. But was that really all there was to it? Was he wasting away for some odd reason? What if he were…dying? He tried not to think about it as he focused his attention back on Juudai.

Juudai, however, was no longer looking at him. He was staring at the corner as well. Slowly, he released Haou and stepped over to the corner. Haou opened his mouth to snap at him to get away from there. He felt this unpleasant sinking in his stomach; what if Juudai was affected by the same thing he had been? But, no, Juudai was merely pulling something heavy out of the corner and into the dim light.

Tilting his head to one side and frowning in thought, Juudai inspected the object, then blew the dust off the surface. It flew into the air, causing both Haou and Juudai to cough for a moment. When the air settled, they looked back at the object, only to find their reflections staring back at them. They froze and stared at the mirror, then back at each other. One more glance at the mirror surprised them. The eyes. Juudai's reflection had golden eyes. And Haou's reflection had brown eyes. Slowly, they lifted their gaze back to each other, then back down at the mirror. Haou carefully reached out, and ran his hand lightly over the antique brass frame. It was heavily ornamented with scrolls, grooves, and cherubim. His eyes widened as he took a small step back. It was the same type of mirror that the merchant had bestowed upon him. It was an identical replica, actually.

"Juudai…" He breathed the name, running his hand over the mirror's frame again and again in disbelief. "Do you know what this is?"

"It's what you've been looking for?" Juudai asked, sounding skeptical.

Haou opened his mouth to affirm Juudai's comment, then quickly shut it. He stared down at the mirror for a moment. It would be foolish to use it after what he had seen. He had almost gotten so excited about the possibility of returning home that he had behaved rashly. Frowning, he set the mirror against the wall, much to Juudai's confusion. "It is the object I've been looking for," Haou replied slowly, "But it may not have the results I'm looking for."

Juudai regarded him with a questioning gaze, but he chose to ignore it. Turning around, he began to walk away, but a hand clamped on his shoulder, and Juudai held him back. "You're really going to walk away? You've been looking for it and here it is. Don't give up when you're so close!"

"It's not giving up," Haou grumbled, looking sullen, "It's being cautious. It doesn't mean that I'm going to foolishly walk away from it. I'm just not sure if it is a good idea to—"

Juudai shook his head, and interrupted him. "Well, we might as well try to find out. If you don't want to try it, I definitely will."

"What?" Haou stared at him. There was no way he would let Juudai do such a thing. But…what if…He shook the thought from his mind. No matter what, he could _not_ allow Juudai to test it for him. It was too dangerous. And yet…it was so tempting. He did not want Juudai to get hurt but he needed some way of knowing if it was safe or not. He debated whether or not to let Juudai, but the other made up his mind for him.

"Come on," Juudai encouraged, stepping closer to the mirror.

Haou gazed at it warily, uneasy. "Hmm, I'm not sure about this." Most of his experiences had not been pleasant. And he was extra suspicious at that time. Especially after what he had seen. Should he mention it to Juudai? But, no, there was no time. Juudai was already trying to find a way to make it work.

"Don't worry," Juudai assured him, running his hand over the smooth surface and looking over his shoulder at Haou, "I'm sure it'll be Ok."

Haou frowned and stepped closer. Before he could protest any further, he noticed the reflection of brown eyes in the mirror. Glancing back up at Juudai, whose gaze was still fixed on him, Haou realized that something unpleasant was about to happen. He tried to warn Juudai, tried to tell him to get away from it. But it was already too late, it seemed.

The mirror's surface seemed to be wavering. It grew clouded over and dim, almost even gray. Soon, he could not see the room behind him in it; it reflected nothing. He watched as Juudai's hand began to sink into the surface, causing ripples to move outward from the contact. Juudai's eyes grew wide as his arm began to follow.

"Juudai!" Haou snapped, irritated. Yet, at the same time, a certain amount of panic was rising within him. He could not let this happen to the brunet! Not when he did not know what was on the other side! Sure, Juudai was brave and strong, but he might not be capable of facing such an entity on his own. This made up Haou's mind. He was going to pull Juudai away from that cursed object.

Grasping Juudai's free arm, he gave a sharp tug back, which caused Juudai to grunt a little in pain. Haou felt a slight twinge of guilt at the noise. He quickly pushed it down, disgusted at himself for actually feeling…guilt. How long had it been since he had felt such a thing? Perhaps he would have become angry had he not been so worried about the brunet. It did not seem as though his attempts to free him were working. In fact, he was going _with_ Juudai. He struggled with all his might, yanking Juudai and tugging at his arm. It was of no use. It only caused Juudai pain. And in the end, it only took Haou with him.

Haou felt the familiar dizzy sensation. He felt as though the room was spinning around and even shaking. It almost even seemed as though he were swimming underwater. It was all he could do to keep from blacking out. Juudai seemed to be having the same problem. He wobbled on his feet, about to collapse. But Haou kept a tight grip on his arm, steadying him. He would _not_ let Juudai fall. And he would not let himself fall either.

Since they were already stuck anyway, Haou stopped fighting it. Well, he supposed they were going to be forced to risk it. At least they would know what was on the other side. And if it happened to be Dark World, then he would be very happy indeed. He could just shove Juudai back through the mirror in his room and wash his hands of the matter. And that would be that. Right?

Uncertainty grasped him again as there was a brilliant flash of light. He squinted and tried to see what was happening. However, it was so bright he almost could not tell. He managed to discern that Juudai was halfway through the mirror, judging by the silhouette. Other than that, he had no idea what was going on. A strong wind seemed to come from nowhere, shoving them closer towards the mirror. Haou's hair whipped about his face, making it even more difficult to see. It was incredibly loud in there, and he almost did not hear Juudai yelling.

"Haou! Is this supposed to happen?!"

Haou took a moment to mull over this question before he responded. In all honesty, this display seemed a lot more violent than it had before. Then again, he had been almost unconscious and half-dead at the time, so was he really qualified to give a response? "I'm not sure," He admitted.

Instead of being startled by the response, Juudai grinned. He seemed excited, even. But Haou was not surprised. This was Juudai, after all. And anyone that knew him knew how much he loved adventure.

Before anything else could be said, Juudai shot through the surface, pulling Haou quickly with him. It seemed as though time had suddenly sped up. Haou felt his head spin as they were jerked to the other side, and fell to the ground, or, whatever it was. For a moment, they lay still, trying to collect their bearings as the world spun around them at a sickening speed; the vertigo was too intense. Juudai gagged a bit, but that was all. Haou felt unsettled as well, but he managed to push the sickness down. There was no time for that. They had to figure out where they were right at that moment.

Slowly, Haou pushed himself to a sitting position. The world tilted to one side, then to the other before coming into focus. Haou blinked and looked around. They seemed to be floating in some sort of darkened cloud-like substance. There was nothing there but the dark mist, which glowed in places, indicating that there was a source of light outside of it. Much to his dismay, he found that the mirror was gone. He carefully picked himself off the bottom of the 'cloud' and looked about him again. There was certainly nothing there. They would have to move on if they wanted to find out where they were, and where another portal was.

Groaning, Juudai stood as well, holding his head. He looked around for a moment, then locked eyes with Haou, his own brown ones wide and glistening with excitement. "Isn't this cool?"

"I'm not sure that is the word to properly describe it," Haou muttered, stepping carefully over a mound of the fluffy substance. He noted that it was slightly damp but not damp enough to be an actual cloud, and his feet stuck a bit in the process of walking. It was almost like a lighter sort of mud. He frowned and waved some of the mist away from his eyes so he might see farther.

Juudai edged closer to him so they wouldn't get separated. And even though Haou knew he was there, it still made him start when he heard Juudai's voice in his ear. "Maybe you should be careful. I mean, what if this is a type of cloud and you stepped out of it?"

Haou sighed heavily in exasperation. "If this were a cloud," He told the brunet, frowning, "then it would not be able to support our weight and we would have fallen right through it from the beginning. It's only water vapor. But this is much too thick for that. You know that."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Juudai sighed, "I just thought it could be if this were a different world."

"Maybe." Haou muttered, though he did not really believe it could be. Just let Juudai have his fun…It was not doing anyone harm.

Haou reached his arms out in front of him, feeling through the cool mist, familiarizing himself with the way it felt. That way, if his hands touched clear air, then he would be able to peer out and find where they were without the danger of falling. That was assuming that it _was_ indeed a sort of cloud. They could be in a thick, heavy fog for all he knew.

There was a scream of an animal in the distance, breaking the tranquility of the moment. Haou stopped suddenly, causing Juudai to slam into his back. So they were not alone, after all! Haou turned and glanced at Juudai to make sure the Osiris student was all right. The other smiled weakly.

"What do you think that was?" Juudai asked softly.

Haou remained still and silent as he listened intently. But he did not hear the sound again. "I'm not sure. It could have been anything." He paused to listen again, then glanced back over at Juudai and asked skeptically, "Are you afraid?"

"No way!" Juudai replied, blinking, "I've been through things much worse than this. I'm excited!"

Haou stared blankly at Juudai. He was not convinced that Juudai had been through anything that would prepare him for this. Grumbling under his breath that Juudai was naïve and would soon learn the dangers of life, he continued cautiously on.

They walked slowly for some time without coming across anything. There seemed to be no end to the cloud. Haou was beginning to get exasperated, and Juudai was growing impatient. Both were uneasy with the situation. Juudai seemed jumpy, even. There was nothing interesting to be found; they did not even know where they were going or what was ahead of them. It was like being blind. They only knew that the temperature seemed to be getting hotter, and the mist was no longer cool. The humidity was extremely oppressive, and the two broke out into a sweat before long. The air seemed heavy in that area too, and it grew increasingly difficult to breathe. It was almost like breathing water. Juudai was growing tired; Haou could tell by the way his footsteps sounded so heavy and his breathing seemed a bit labored. Truth be told, he was getting concerned himself. He did not know if they would find a way out. Not to mention it seemed that if they ventured any farther, the environment would be too inhospitable.

Haou was mostly worried about Juudai, though. And this disturbed him. He was more worried about Juudai than he was of himself. And that was something that he had trouble accepting. He always had put himself first and yet…Even though he felt as though he could go on, it was more than apparent that Juudai could not. Although the boy was in good shape physically, this journey was too taxing, considering the harsh conditions and all. Even Haou was feeling weary. He could only imagine how Juudai felt. After all, he was stronger than Juudai. So he could only imagine…

Stopping in his tracks, he turned to face the other. Juudai looked up at him with tired chocolate eyes, his face a little paled. His hair was sticking to his forehead due to the sweat, and his arms hung limply at his sides. Haou could not help but pity him.

"Are you all right?" The question hung in the air for a few dreadful seconds, unanswered. Haou could have smacked himself on the forehead for showing such obvious concern. But he had to know for the sake of the mission.

Juudai gulped air for a moment, then nodded weakly before answering. "I'm fine. I just don't feel good."

Haou raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" The terrible concern bubbled up from the pit of his stomach, electrifying every fiber of his being. He tensed.

Juudai fanned himself with a hand, glancing off to the side. "Oh, well, it's nothing. I'm just really hot and feeling kind of sick to my stomach."

"It's the climate here, I guess," Haou grumbled, crossing his arms, "You know, I'm not sure where we are, but it's obvious that we are approaching some sort of heat source."

Juudai fixed his weary gaze on Haou's face again. "You mean like a sun or something?"

"Perhaps," Haou replied, "But at any rate, we don't seem to be getting anywhere so we might as well head back in the opposite direction."

Seeming pained, Juudai asked, "But which way is that?"

Haou sighed heavily. "It's the _other_ way. It's not that hard to figure out."

"We might stray off to the side or something," Juudai pointed out, "And face it. We're already lost. And I'm getting hungry."

"Well, there's nothing we can do but _try_. Stop whining. Come on." Before Juudai could protest, Haou took him firmly by the wrist and led him back in the opposite direction. Difficult children must be dealt with in such a manner. Juudai needed to see that Haou was in charge and knew what was best for them. He should not question it. Haou shook the thought out of his mind after a moment's consideration. Was the heat really getting to him that badly that he wanted to discipline Juudai for suggesting a possible danger? He just did not know what he was thinking…Things seemed to be getting confusing.

"Haou, just stop, please," Juudai panted, digging his fingers into Haou's sleeve, "Can't you see we're going the wrong way? It's getting hotter…"

Haou stopped again. Juudai was right…It was growing hotter. He glanced back at Juudai, unsure of what to do. Perhaps they had not been approaching it by walking. Perhaps the place they were located in was approaching the heat source on its own.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Juudai asked, his grip on Haou's sleeve tightening, "Isn't there any way we can leave?"

"Unless we can find another mirror…" Haou looked around carefully, trying to find any means of escape. They had to get out of there quickly.

He scanned the surrounding area for several moments, then walked a ways. Juudai followed him, though he was becoming slower in his movements. Haou was beginning to wonder if they would get out alive, when he just so happened to catch a glimpse of reflected light. Hope. That was the one word that entered his mind when he saw it. Quickly, he yanked Juudai towards it, before it could disappear on him. Part of him suspected that it was a mirage of some sort, but he was not going to throw a possible chance away. Much to his surprise, and his relief, he soon found his and Juudai's reflections gazing back at them.

"Oh, good, we found it," Juudai panted, smiling weakly, "Now we can go home."

Haou was not so sure, but he held his tongue. Running a hand over the surface, he inspected it, trying to deem whether or not it was safe. After a moment or two of staring at it without anything malicious happening, he finally decided that it was safe enough. Besides, he had no choice. If he and Juudai wanted to get out alive, then they were just going to have to take the risk.

He placed both hands flat against the glass, putting a slight amount of pressure on it. At first, nothing happened. Then, just as before, the reflections began to sway a little, before the glass became like water. Haou began to sink through, both of his arms caught in it. Not wanting to be left behind, Juudai grabbed hold of his waist. Soon, they were both jolted forwards and sucked into the surface almost even violently, leaving the heated world behind.

The cool air on the other side was such a relief to Haou. He just hoped that they were back at Duel Academia then. Sitting up, he blinked and looked around, only to find that they were in some sort of darkened area. Grimacing, he figured that they might be in a different world yet again, and might never find their way back. Thankfully for them, the mirror remained this time. That way, they had an exit. He only glanced at it as he stood, failing to take notice of the katakana that spelled 'shatter' fading on the surface.

Spotting Juudai lying on his stomach close by, Haou walked over towards him, calling his name. Juudai did not answer. Feeling a little worried, he knelt by him, and called for him again, shaking him slightly. He seemed to stir, though, in all reality it was Haou's imagination. Juudai was limp. Slowly, Haou rolled him over on his back to look at him. He seemed only unconscious. Perhaps the heat had gotten to him. Still, just to be sure, Haou placed his fingers on the inside of Juudai's wrist. It was difficult to discern if there really was a pulse or not, so Haou moved his fingers to Juudai's neck. Frowning, he finally laid the side of his head against Juudai's chest. Nothing. Feeling a little weak, Haou told himself that it would probably come back in a moment. Maybe it was just an effect of the mirror. It would be all right.

But it was not. Juudai did not wake up. How could he, really? Even as Haou tried to get his attention for the tenth time—though he honestly knew it would do no good— Juudai did not stir. Slowly, Haou stood up and looked around, the sick feeling in his stomach rising and rippling through every vein in hideous anxiety. The truth was becoming clear then; it was something that he did not want to believe, and yet he had to. Feeling very ill, he leaned against the frame of the mirror, holding his head in one hand in shock. Juudai was dead. And it was his fault.

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**A/N: Meh bet you saw that coming, huh? Well…eh…before you kill me and before you decide to stop reading this story, just wait til the next chapter, Ok? There is an explanation and other things…I don't want to reveal all but just don't get too upset, mmk? The story isn't about to be over. **


	13. Chapter 13: Secret

**A/N: Gah, I'm really sorry I've taken so long to develop this. T.T And now I hardly have any time to write at all. D: School is killing me. :( It took me SO long to get this chapter done; it's unbelievable. DX**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 13: Secret

When Haou recovered his shock, he picked Juudai up slowly, holding him gently. As he looked down at the other, the unfamiliar sensation of his stomach churning returned. Why had he allowed this to happen to Juudai? Was it really his fault, then? Something deep inside told him it was. Sadness washed over him. It hurt to think that he could be capable of…_this_. And yet he had done it so many countless times before. Though, it was just then that it began to fully sink in and bother him. It had never occurred to him the magnitude of the action until this event. He did not know why not. After all, he had felt so cold, so indifferent, so uncaring before. It was as though he had just gained a conscience. Or maybe it was only concerning Juudai.

But why?

Was it because Juudai was his other half? Was it because it was like suicide? No, that was not it. There was something else…Something much deeper, something much more affectionate and warm. Was it because Juudai was like family to him? That could not be it either. It did not _feel_ like it. He had not felt quite the same way about his own family many years ago. So what was this?

Losing a friend…yes, that must be it. Juudai was his friend. He hated the weakness associated with the word. And yet…since Juudai was gone, he felt that same weakness he had imagined was associated with having a friend. Did that mean…A friend must make one stronger? It made him wonder if he had been wrong about things all along.

Even though he was worried about what might happen, he knew he had to go back through the mirror. It was the only way out. And if he delayed, he might end up like Juudai. Though, he was taking a chance by going back, he had no other choice.

Facing the mirror, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, preparing himself. He gazed into the smooth surface, then frowned. There was something beyond the surface. It looked as though it were reflected. Leaning closer, he noticed that it was the same type of katakana writing as he had seen before. Slowly, he deciphered the lettering, and managed to read it even though it was backwards.

"Restore…" He murmured.

Where had he seen that before? Thinking back, he realized that it had been in Juudai's mind when he had been trying to find a way out. His eyes widened in realization. That had been his ticket back to reality! Perhaps he did have a way out!

Hurriedly, he pushed his foot against the surface of the mirror. At first, nothing happened. He was a little worried about this, but he kept his foot on the surface. His perseverance did pay off, though. Soon, he found himself sinking into the mirror, then rapidly sucked to the other side. The trip this time seemed to take longer and was more dizzying than before. But he paid that no attention. He was more worried about Juudai than himself.

When he fell on the other side, he was suspended in a state of vertigo for several moments. Then, slowly, he lifted himself off the ground and glanced about him. Blinking, he realized in shock that they were back in Juudai's dorm room. The exit from which that had come was nowhere to be found. Dazed, he stood, and looked around. Everything was about as they had left it. Nothing seemed unusual at all. Well, nothing except for the fact that it was empty. Hadn't Kenzan, Sho, and Johan been in there before? Then again, it looked a lot earlier than it had when he had come in there asking for Juudai's help. It was early morning…In that case, it seemed as though a full day had gone by since they had been gone. At least, he hoped it had only been a day. Who knew how long it had been.

He wandered around the room a moment, looking at the things that were there, trying to find some evidence. He found Sho's nightclothes tossed on the floor, and the beds were unmade. It seemed as though the others had already left. Maybe they were looking for Juudai? He supposed they probably would be worried about him since he had not returned. He just hoped that they would not come back before he figured out what to do with Juudai.

As though on cue, someone came to the door. He watched as the knob started to twist. Quickly, he improvised a plan. Picking Juudai up, he opened to the door to the cramped closet and shoved him inside it, before closing it. He would have to find a better hiding spot once the person left. Even though he had not directly killed Juudai, he did not want anyone to think he had meant it. Maybe he could find a way to reverse it…If only he was given the time to do so.

It was too late to find a suitable escape though. The next moment, Johan had come in through the door. He blinked in surprise at the sight of Haou, and closed the door. "You're back…"

Haou inwardly cursed. Johan was the last person that needed to discover this. However, he remained calm. He was not the type to panic anyway. So, he only stared blankly at the other. "Yes, of course."

"We were worried about you and Juudai," Johan told him, walking over to the bed and sitting on the edge, "Speaking of Juudai…where is he?" His smile faltered a little.

Haou was not sure what exactly to say. He knew he should tell the truth but…There was no need to upset anyone until he had made absolutely sure that nothing could be done. Well, perhaps someone else could help but he thought he would be more capable of doing that with his dark powers and all. "He's not here right now…" He mentally admonished himself. Was that the best he could think of?

"So…where is he?" Johan looked him directly in the eyes, unconvinced. He stood and walked over to Haou.

Unable to think of an appropriate response due to his distress, Haou just stood there and stared into Johan's eyes. Since when did he freeze up like that? He usually would have been able to lie no matter what the situation. But…there was a lump in his throat. He could not talk around it. He could not swallow around it. He could hardly even breathe around it. The fact was…Juudai was dead and it was his fault. How could he face Johan and tell him that? It should have been easy, as it was second nature to him by then. Yet…all the war in the world was unable to prepare him for this. This was much different from war. Juudai was someone he cared about. And he just could not bring himself to lie.

Tilting his head a bit to one side and frowning, Johan asked softly, "What are you hiding?" When Haou did not respond, he tried to step around him to get to the closet. Haou would not allow it. "Why are you standing in front of the closet?"

He tried to think of an appropriate response, but failed. His mind had just locked up. Part of him was trying to lie. The other part of him was trying to tell the truth. At this point, it was best to be honest. Johan was going to find out anyway. Sure, he could weasel his way out of trouble usually but…with what he had seen in Juudai's world, he was not sure he had all the power to do so.

In the time he spent thinking, Johan shoved past him and managed to open the door. Haou opened his mouth, then thought better, and closed it. Johan stared at the interior of the closer for a moment and then looked slowly up at Haou.

"What the hell happened?!"

"…I don't know…" Well, it _was_ the truth.

Kneeling down, Johan scooped Juudai up in his arms, and then glared at Haou. "How could you let this happen? Did you do this to him?"

Haou sighed heavily. "I'm not sure what happened…It just did. But I can assure you that I didn't do it."

"Then why'd you try to hide it?" Johan narrowed his eyes, "Why didn't you call for help? Why did you wait so long? Answer me!"

"Listen, I don't care what you think," Haou seethed, narrowing his own eyes, "I can't very well explain what happened because I don't know. I haven't called for help because we haven't been back long. I tried to hide it because I wasn't sure what to do."

Johan sighed heavily and squeezed his eyes shut. He gritted his teeth and looked frustrated. Trembling, he held Juudai closer. One tear slipped out from behind his tightly closed eyelids, and slid down his cheek before dropping on Juudai's face. "You…You…_idiot_." For his fogged up mind, it was the worst insult he could think of at the moment.

Haou did not apologize. He only stood there and kept staring coldly down. Though, deep inside, he felt a twinge of guilt and a tug at his heart. He knew that he had not handled that very well, and he was not sure why he had reacted the way he had. Slowly, he dropped down beside Johan and stared down at Juudai as well.

A few silent moments dragged by. Johan seemed paralyzed, unable to move. It looked as though nothing was going to get him to come back to his senses. With each second, Haou was feeling worse himself. Unable to help himself, he placed a hand on Juudai's forehead and left it there for a moment. Slowly, he ran it down the other's cheek, in an unconscious loving gesture. Though, neither he nor Johan noticed it.

His hand stopped on Juudai's warm neck. Suddenly, he frowned in thought. He was…very warm. Some small part of him revived with the new promise of hope. Placing his fingers on the inside of Juudai's neck, he was surprised to find that he had a pulse. Haou's eyes widened. But…it had to be impossible…Juudai had been dead before…

He decided to think about the how later. All that mattered was that Juudai was alive then, and was merely unconscious. "Johan…"

"What?" Johan snapped, opening his teary eyes to look at Haou.

"He's not dead."

"Wha-What?" Johan blinked, looking surprised, "But he…"

"I don't know…" Haou gazed down at Juudai.

"Well, it doesn't matter how it happened," Johan finally said with a heavy sigh, "But what _does_ matter is that you tried to hide it. Which leaves me to believe _you_ hurt him…I'm not going to leave him alone with you again." He narrowed his eyes, trying to seem intimidating. "I can't trust you. I'm going to keep an eye on you from now on."

Haou did not bother to try to clear his name. He did not really care. His only response was to stare blankly at Johan.

"Well? Aren't you going to say something? Anything? Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

"I don't need to say anything," Haou simply replied, "because I know I didn't do anything." He turned around, and walked out the door, though he was worried about Juudai's well-being deep inside.

"Well, aren't you caring," Johan muttered sarcastically as the door slammed, "That's not suspicious at all." He glanced back down at Juudai as he began to stir.

"Ugh…What happened?" Juudai's eyelids fluttered open and he gazed up at Johan.

Setting his jaw, Johan refused to respond. He was too upset at the moment to think of anything to say.

"Johan? Where…? Is everything Ok? ...Is something wrong?" Juudai's brow furrowed in concern.

"Well," Johan said slowly, "I want you to avoid Haou."

"What? Why?" Juudai stared up at Johan with wide eyes.

"I warned you not to get too close to him earlier. I had a bad feeling about him, and it looks like I was right. He hurt you, Juudai." Johan looked grim as he explained this.

"He did _what_?"

"I said, he _hurt_ you. I'm not sure what he did exactly but whatever it was, it almost cost you your life. And I'm not going to let that happen again. So please…do yourself a favor and stay away from him. Please." The teal-haired duelist looked down at Juudai with imploring eyes.

Jumping up to his feet and startling Johan, Juudai crossed his arms and protested vehemently. "He did not hurt me! He would never do that! It wasn't him…It was something else…I just can't…remember…" He held his head in his hand, growing a bit dizzy.

"So you remember being hurt?" Johan blinked.

"I remember…being…in pain…vaguely," Juudai answered, closing one eye and gripping his head a little more, "But I just can't remember what the cause was. I just know it wasn't Haou because…because…he…Everything is just a blur…"

"It's Ok," Johan assured him, placing a hand comfortingly on his shoulder, "Just relax. Just lie down, Ok? I don't want you stressing yourself."

Nodding, Juudai went over to the bed and lay down, looking exhausted. "I'll be all right."

"Well, even so, I'm tempted to take you to Ayukawa-sensei." Crossing his arms and looking unconvinced, Johan slowly seated himself on the edge of the cot.

"Please don't. I feel better now. Just…tired." Juudai slung his arm over his eyes.

"Ok…" Johan agreed reluctantly. He sat there watching Juudai for a moment, then, reached out and took his hand. Squeezing it, he moved closer, making the brunet shift uncomfortably.

"Johan…"

Not seeming to realize how uncomfortable he was making Juudai, Johan moved to lay down next to him, tightly squeezing his hands and looking him in the eyes. "Juudai…I'm worried about your well-being. I really care about you, and you really scared me today. Please…be more careful. Please don't hide things from me. You haven't been telling me as much recently. Don't think I haven't noticed. Please talk to me again. I miss you." He bit his lip.

"I haven't been hiding anything," Juudai insisted, blinking and looking confused, "If you think I have been, then you're mistaken. You're my best friend. I tell you everything, really."  
"I don't really think you do," Johan said softly, glancing down at their hands. He gently rubbed his fingers against Juudai's, in a loving gesture. "Are we growing apart? I've noticed a change…in the way you treat me…Ever since…"

"Ever since what?" Juudai looked a little upset at hearing this. Maybe he did really know something deep inside. But he did not fully understand it.

"Ever since…Haou…" Johan glanced up at the top of the bunk, suddenly falling silent. There was a long pause as he lay there, squeezing Juudai's hands, tightening his grip around the other's fingers as though he were clinging to his very life. He swallowed hard, desperately trying to compose himself. Then, taking a deep breath, he continued, his voice shaking. "You…you don't feel the same as you did…before…Come on. I know. We have a bond. How could I not know? How could you expect to just let me slip away like that? You can't…you can't do that…to me…"

"Johan…" Juudai stopped for a moment to think about what he was going to say. It was difficult to gather the words. "…I never meant…I'm sorry you think that. But it's not really like that. Ok? You're…you're…just overreacting."

"You're pushing me away, Juudai," Johan said quietly, staring right into the other boy's eyes, "I can tell you are. What's turning you away? Have I done something? Please…if I have…let me know. I'll fix it. I'll do whatever…I can…just so long as you don't…turn your back on me like this. Please…" He bit his lip, taking another deep breath. His hands were beginning to shake vigorously.

Refusing to answer, Juudai stared off to the side. His hands were limp in Johan's. He was making no effort to return the gentle pressure, whereas he would have before. Something had definitely changed; as cliché as it was, Johan could see it in Juudai's eyes. They were lacking something…something that had been there before. But it was gone. They were empty, vacant when it came to that one thing. Something was very wrong. Maybe Juudai did not know it. But he did sense it. He just was not willing to admit it.

"Juudai…talk to me…tell me what's wrong…" Johan pressed, leaning in his face closer.

"Nothing's wrong," Juudai insisted, looking even more upset, "…I don't understand. I don't know why you're acting this way. I haven't treated you any differently. You're still my best friend."

"But that's all…" Johan tested, leaning in even closer.

"I…don't know what you mean."

"Juudai…" Johan seemed disappointed. Hope still lingered in his sea green eyes…a hope that refused to give up. And yet…it would take only one word to break that fragile part of him. Slowly, desperate to hang on, Johan leaned over, tilting his head and trying to brush his lips to Juudai's. "…Juudai…I…I love you…"

Turning his head, Juudai pulled back, not willing to let him kiss him. "Please don't…"

Johan's eyes softened at this. They seemed to cloud over, as though a little part inside him had died. He had gone to Juudai with his heart out in his hand, trying to offer the deepest and most fragile part of himself. And Juudai had turned him away. He had rejected him. This was unexpected. But even more so was the absolute agony that it gave him. He had never felt anything cut so deep. It was as though time itself had come to a standstill; he could not breathe, his heart had stopped beating. Nothing would work properly. He could not find the words to express any sort of thought, could not find the thought to express any sort of words. It took a lot of effort to finally draw in one ragged breath of air. And it hurt. It cut through his soul like a knife. He felt as though he were being stabbed. He had always heard it was painful. But he had never thought it to feel like this…

He felt…completely abandoned by Juudai. They might still be friends. But it would never be the same. Nothing…could ever fill the void that had opened in his heart. He felt as though he were bleeding…

For a few strained moments, the two boys just looked at each other. Johan could not tear his gaze from Juudai's, could not let go of his hands. He kept clinging with all his might. Not because of who Juudai was. Because he needed to hold onto something to retain his sanity.

It was then that Juudai finally found his voice. He smiled weakly as he finally confirmed the unspoken. "I'm sorry…I'm really sorry. I just don't feel the same. I mean, I thought I did at a time but...no. I was wrong. I'm sorry. Can we still be friends?"

Johan visibly winced at Juudai's words. Saying he was sorry would never be enough to amend for it. But he could not think like that. He had to accept it, and move on, as hard as that might be. "Y-Yeah, sure." He smiled feebly. It took every ounce of his willpower to say that and to look agreeable. He wanted to cry.

Juudai smiled warmly at him. "Don't worry. It's Ok. And if it seemed like I was shutting you out, I'm sorry. I guess it was just a misunderstanding on your part." He shrugged.

"Yeah…I guess…" Johan looked down. He was upset that Juudai did not seem to understand how hurt he was. Slowly, he withdrew his hands from Juudai, letting him go. It hurt a lot…but he knew he had to do it. "Um…well, you're right, though. It will be Ok." He forced a smile, then crawled off the bed, "Just so long as you're Ok and you're happy…"

"Well, I'm fine so don't worry about me." Juudai assured him. "Though, I'm a little worried about _you_. Are you Ok?" Even though he did not feel the same, he could still sense Johan's emotions. True, he did not fully understand it, but he still felt it.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine." Johan laughed weakly, running a hand through his teal hair, "I'm just…going to go though. I have homework to do and I'm sure you want some time to rest."  
"Well, you don't have to leave," Juudai pointed out, blinking and propping himself up on his elbow.

"Yeah, I do. I have a test tomorrow. I have to study for it." The European stopped at the door, his hand on the knob. "So…I'll see you later. If you need me…you can call me…"

"Ok," Juudai agreed, "I'll see you, then."

"Bye." Johan hurried out the door. He was more than ready to get out of there. He needed to go back to his room to lick his wounds. Juudai had taken everything he had hoped and dreamed for away from him. No, he was not mad at him. He did not think ill of him at all. It was just a natural part of life. The other could not help how he felt. But it did make him wonder…Was it possible that Juudai did not like him because of someone else? Though, knowing Juudai, one would think that was not the case. But this…this was different. Something had caused Juudai to change his mind, and Johan wanted to know what. Maybe that, at least, would give him some closure on that part of his life. Maybe he would be able to rest once he knew for sure. He just had to know if it had been him, or if it had been something else.

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It was several days later when Haou finally decided he'd had enough time by himself to think about everything. After the incident with Johan and Juudai, he had imposed himself on Manjoume for awhile so he could get some time to clear his mind. There was a lot going on and it was a little overwhelming. Plus, he had been doing a lot of research and needed peace and quiet, so he had stayed in the room, though that was mostly an excuse to avoid Juudai and his friends. Why? He was not really sure. He thought it probably had something to do with the fact that he was sorting out his feelings, which were still foreign to him. It took a lot of getting used to after having gone so long without them.

Presently, he was on his way to the cliff where Juudai liked to hang out. He was hoping that Juudai would be there so they could talk. Though, he had a feeling that the Osiris student would be there. He could sense it.

Indeed, when he came through the trees to the small clearing at the end of the cliff, there Juudai lay, with his arms behind his head and one leg crossed over the other. He was gazing up at the azure sky as though pondering some deep subject, a hint of worry evident in his dark eyes. Haou paused at the edge of the trees, watching. For a moment, it seemed as though Juudai had not sensed his presence. But, that was not true. No matter how good Haou was at concealing himself in the surrounding landscape or how quiet he was, that did not take away from the special bond he and Juudai shared. Juudai knew he was there. And he acknowledged that fact a moment later.

"Haou, you can come out." His normally exuberant voice was quiet, his bright eyes muted.

Knowing that something was plaguing the other boy, Haou relented and revealed himself to the other. Juudai did not look at him even when he sat down on the grass beside him, bringing his knees up to his chest and clasping his arms about them in a careless fashion. Being alone with Juudai made him comfortable; he was more lax and let his strict, no-nonsense demeanor fade away. It was something he just could not help.

There a moment of silence lapsed between the two. Haou calmly awaited an explanation for the other's behavior. He gave none. So, Haou took it on himself to inquire of Juudai's well-being. Shifting a little, uncertain of how to approach the delicate subject as he was still new to this whole concept, he asked softly, "Are you…all right?" He was a bit surprised at the quiet quality his voice had decided to take on. Moreover, he found that he was gazing upon him in a gentler manner than he was accustomed to. He did not want to admit it to himself, but he had the sinking feeling that he knew what was taking place.

A mere passing glance was cast in his direction. Juudai's eyes quickly flickered back to the patch of blue sky that he had previously occupied himself with. His mouth drew in a taunt line, his eyes never leaving that spot. It seemed as his entire body had tensed up when Haou had asked this question, as though a nonverbal response. He was obviously not all right. Something was bothering him, shaking him to the very core, and Haou wanted, no, _needed_ to know what that was.

"What's wrong?" He found himself asking, leaning forward in a visual show of his pressing for information.

Juudai swallowed hard and slowly brought himself up to a sitting position. He mirrored Haou's posture, letting his slender arms gracefully envelop his thin legs. He rested his chin on his knees and stared off forlornly into the horizon, at the sea. He watched intently as some imaginary object—or perhaps it was a bird—moved about. Then, he sighed deeply. Closing his eyes, he buried his nose in the denim of his jeans, finally offering a reply.

"I'm not sure…of myself anymore." A pause and a large intake of air. "It's not that I don't believe in myself anymore. It's just…I don't know if I understand as much about myself as I thought."

Silence. Haou did not ask him what he meant. He did not have to elaborate. The king knew what he was talking about, for he had felt the same way too, as of recent. He only continued to look at the brunet, giving him a silent indication to continue.

"The thing is," Juudai said slowly, running a blade of grass between two fingers as he turned so his cheek was rested on his leg, facing Haou, "I used to think that it was Johan that I felt for. But I'm beginning to think that it might have been my mistake from the beginning. Maybe it really was just special friendship. More like brotherhood. No, closer than that. But…not quite the same way that everyone told me it was…I mean…I did like him for awhile, like I told you. But then…" He paused, as though to gather his thoughts again, or as though he were afraid that his whispered secret was not fit to be breathed aloud where another human was present, "I realized that it wasn't quite as deep as I thought. There were…things that people told me I would feel when I knew. And I thought that I felt that way for Johan. But in the end, I never really knew what they were until I truly began to _feel_ them. And they scare me because it makes no sense and I don't know where they came from. I hurt my best friend for them. And that's what makes me so hesitant to act on them. Usually I would but…" He nibbled his lower lip in apprehension, his eyes once more searching the sky for an answer.

"But you're afraid he'll be hurt or angry if you do display it?" Haou asked, frowning in thought.

Juudai nodded in affirmation. "I really don't want to lose him as a friend. He means a lot to me," He said slowly, still touching the grass blades gently.

Sighing heavily, he rested his face in his knees again and was silent. Wisps of gentle wind played with the individual strands of hair, causing them to dance in the breeze and tickle his face lightly. Lifting his head, he absentmindedly brushed them away and looked out towards the east, his eyes forever searching. Haou found it somewhat intriguing the manner in which Juudai performed this action. Or any mundane action for that reason. He found himself nearly mesmerized by Juudai's casual, almost even ignorant way of going about things. Even when he was uncertain he still had this way of behaving that was so comfortable. He looked so natural in this setting. It was almost as though he belonged to nature itself, with that wild look he got in his eyes even then, and his untamed, messy hair and the drifting tendency he had.

Haou only found that he was staring at Juudai when their eyes locked. If he had been any other person, he might've had the grace of blushing. But he did not. He felt as though he had had every right to do so.

Sighing, Juudai waved it off and turned his gaze back towards the east. There seemed to be silence, until soft murmurings made their way to Haou's ears. They were muddled, and he could not make out anything. He strained to listen, but it was not meant for him to hear. The breeze changed the direction from which it blew, and a whispered confession rode on the wind. It was not meant for Haou to hear, either, but this time, he had the luck of catching it anyway. "I don't know what to do."

"Do what you think is best," Haou told him.

Juudai turned completely to face him, surprised. "Well, I guess that is what I should do."

"Isn't that what you've always done before?" Haou gave him a pointed look.

"Yeah…" Juudai looked down at his feet, thinking. "Yeah! It is!" A ghost of a smile could be seen on his lips as he pondered this and regained his cheerful spirit.

"You shouldn't let him get in the way of a decision you would have made otherwise," Haou continued, stretching out in the grass and resting his head on his arms, "If he really cares about you like he says he does, then he'll accept whatever decision you make and be happy with it."

"Yeah, I guess that's true," Juudai said slowly, lying down next to Haou and sighing heavily, "I mean, I already told him that I didn't have feelings for him like he did for me. The thing that made me cringe was that it was because I started liking someone else instead. I know, that sounds really bad, doesn't it?"

Haou shrugged. "It's your choice. It happens." He glanced over at Juudai curiously. Despite himself, he really did want to know who it was that Juudai had feelings for. Though, he had a hunch he knew who it was…It wasn't like they could hide things so easily from each other.

"Funny," Juudai laughed softly, laying on his side and propping his cheek up with his hand, "I never was interested in any of this until recently."

"Neither was I," Haou muttered grimly, though Juudai did not hear this.

"I'm not sure what happened but I suppose I could just go with it." Falling silent, Juudai eased back down to the earth, though this time, he dropped his head on Haou's chest instead of on the grass.

Haou's eyes flickered down momentarily as the sudden warm weight rested against him. He was a little surprised by it, though it did not show on his face. If this had been any other time, perhaps he would have shoved Juudai away. But, for the moment, he was feeling rather mellow and rather like he wanted the contact. It was comforting, in a sense. Perhaps that was his way of telling himself he did not want it. Though, deep inside, he knew he had wanted it for awhile, then. He just wanted someone to show care for him. He told himself that was all he needed, but he was not so sure of his desires or intentions anymore.

He felt the need to show some comfort and support for Juudai. He did not know where this had come from, he just knew he had to act on it. Slowly, he placed a hand on Juudai's shoulder, and gave it a light squeeze. Juudai smiled a little up at him, then closed his eyes, as though he were going to take a nap.

"I'm glad you came and talked to me," Juudai mumbled quietly, "It helped a lot."

Haou didn't say anything in reply, only ruffled Juudai's silky brown hair a bit. He let his fingers remain entangled in the locks for a few moments, before allowing them to drift back to the other's shoulder. Perhaps this 'friendship' was not so bad after all. He found he did not feel quite so bitter or sick with someone to care about. Maybe it was good for him. Just so long as he didn't lose sight of his goal. Just maybe…maybe he could allow himself to relax a little. It just might be good for him.

As they lay there lazily, absorbing the warmth of the sun, they failed to take notice of the additional presence nearby. Haou sensed it in the back of his mind, but did not pay it any attention since it did not feel threatening. Besides, even if it was, he could easily ward the person off. For the time being, he ignored it, and closed his eyes as Juudai snuggled closer to him.

Neither of them realized exactly who it was that was watching. But when he saw them engaged in this private moment, Johan turned and hurried away, even more confused and hurt than before. He decided he would talk to Juudai about it later. Perhaps not immediately, but soon enough. Things between him and Haou were obviously heating up, and Johan wanted to know where he had gone wrong. He tried not to be angry and resentful about it, because he did not like such negative emotions, but he could not help it. It was all right; he would mention something about it to Juudai later. He would get down to the bottom of this.

* * *

It wasn't until night fell that Juudai and Haou left the cliff side to return to their dorm room. They walked down the path in silence, illuminated slightly by the dull, silver moonlight. Juudai was strangely quiet, as though he were still lost in his thoughts. That suited Haou just fine. The silence wasn't unwelcome or uncomfortable; it seemed to fit the moment just fine. Besides, they did not need words to communicate. They more or less were communicating at the moment, through the bond they shared, even if that was unconscious.

The night air was crisp and the cool dew fell lightly on them from the starry heavens above. Haou thought it felt rather nice, actually. Although the air had a bit of an icy edge to it, a tell-tale sign that winter was fast approaching, it was not so much that it caused more than the occasional shiver. They took their time, walking slowly, enjoying the evening and each other's company. It was not unpleasant at all. Haou would have rather liked to have kept walking like that all night.

Juudai shivered a little more and hugged himself for warmth. Haou glanced over at him, but didn't say anything. He looked back at the path, deep in thought. Perhaps this could come of some use. He might be able to get Juudai to help him with his goals. Especially if he had no idea he was doing it. Yes, this could be a great benefit to get this close to him.

He felt something warm brush his hand. Looking down, he was surprised to find Juudai's fingers lightly touching his own. After a moment, Juudai curled his fingers around Haou's, firmly grasping them. He smiled up at Haou, causing a warm rush to run through his veins. What was he doing, letting himself _feel_ this? He had been fighting it off so vehemently…he had been winning, even! But with that one gesture and that one look, he already felt his determination crumbling and his heart melting. He tried to resist, but it was just too lovely. Maybe just once…

Even if he had resolved not to have given in, he would not have been able to help it. Despite himself, he returned the gentle squeeze. He knew he should not be giving in like this, but he just couldn't help himself, it seemed. Juudai didn't seem to think as much of it as Haou did, judging by the calm expression on his face. Perhaps it didn't mean as much to Juudai. But that did not matter. All that mattered was that it _was_ happening.

Haou led Juudai back to the dorm even though he wanted to keep walking. It was obvious that Juudai was tired. It had been a really long day. It was funny to think that only that morning, he had thought that Juudai was…He pushed the thought from his mind. Just the memory made his throat tighten all over again. He squeezed Juudai's hand tighter, as though to hold on to him to assure himself that the other really was there. He silently vowed that he would never let that happen to him again.

…They really had come a long way in a short while, considering.

Juudai gave him a curious look when Haou tightened his grip. Haou felt as though he offered some explanation, but was not really sure what to say. What could he say? That he was sorry he had accidentally 'killed' him? A few possibilities crossed his mind, and he finally decided to go with one of them.

"I don't want you to mess with those mirrors again," He finally said in a firm voice.

Juudai frowned. "Well, if you need help then I'm not going to give up."

"You almost died," Haou said bluntly, turning to look at him with fiery amber eyes.

"But I didn't," Juudai pointed out, blinking and locking his gaze with Haou's.

"I can't let that happen to you again." Haou told him, "So I really don't want to risk it."

"Why?" Juudai smirked, as though he knew he had Haou cornered.

Haou remained calm though. He answered simply, "Because I care about you." Well, he was going to be honest. Although, once the words had left his mouth, he kind of cringed. It was as though he had shown some sort of weakness…

Shrugging, Juudai muttered, "I don't think that's all of it…but Ok."

Haou refused to reply, only tugged at Juudai's hand to keep him moving. Wordlessly, Juudai followed Haou up the stairs of the Osiris dorm, then released his hand and looked at him before they went in their room.

"What?" Haou frowned a little, as Juudai was blocking his path.

Juudai grinned wryly. "Hmm, nothing…just…thinking."

Haou raised an eyebrow skeptically.

Juudai looked mischievous, almost as though he had some sort of idea that he did not want to reveal. Haou considered going through his mind to find the answer, but decided that it would be better if Juudai told him instead. So, he pushed past the brunet and entered the dorm room. Juudai followed after a moment of standing, puzzled, outside.

"We should get some sleep," Haou muttered, sitting on the edge of his cot. Since he was thinking about it, he was rather tired himself.

"Yeah, I guess so," Juudai agreed quietly, so as not to wake Sho or Kenzan, who were already fast asleep in their respective bunks.

Haou leaned back on the bed and stared at the ceiling in thought. It had been such a wild day. So much seemed to have happened at once. Even though he felt as though he were no closer in getting back to Dark World, he was beginning to see the worth of remaining in Juudai's world. Even if it was not to gain precedence and power, there was still a reason to stay. Things were changing when it came to him and Juudai. He still wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a good or bad thing, but, just as he had advised Juudai earlier, he supposed he should just go with it. No matter how wrong he deemed it was, there was no stopping it, and he was not really one to question morals anyway as he did not really believe in them, so he decided just to do whatever he felt like.

His eyes shifted in Juudai's direction. The brunet's thin outline was silhouetted in the dark as he pulled his shirt off just so casually. He did not seem to be uncomfortable at all about it. That was one of the things that made him so…interesting. He was comfortable in whatever he did…so confident. Even though Haou had seen the uncertainty that was under the surface, he knew that it was atypical of Juudai, and he seemed over it already. Things like that never lasted long due to Juudai's optimistic, resilient nature.

He tried not to watch as Juudai pulled his jeans down as well because he had enough sense to think that this was rather horrid of him. But he pushed that thought in the back of his mind, not really caring. Juudai didn't seem to notice that he was being watched so closely. And if he did, he chose not to care. At first Haou was not sure whether or not he knew. But once he had finished redressing in his nightclothes, his eyes lifted and met Haou's. He knew…but…He did not seem angry. On the contrary, he smiled.

"Just wait until tomorrow," Juudai told him, walking across the room and climbing into his bunk, completely unfazed, "I have some ideas to what we can do about your problem."

"What problem?" Haou frowned. What was Juudai talking about?

"The whole mirror thing," Juudai sighed, lying down. "I think that we might know enough to do something."

Haou took a moment to think about this. Yes, Juudai _was_ right. Although it seemed completely random…perhaps…perhaps there _was_ a way to manipulate them. But…Haou wasn't so sure he really wanted to go back anymore. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if he should stay in Juudai's world. After all, he had been very unhappy in Dark World. He had been so lonely. He might have been ruler of that world, he might've had the best of everything, he might've had all the material items he had ever wanted…but he had never known the warmth of a friend. And since he finally got to share the same space with Juudai, to be able to touch him and talk to him…he was not so sure he wanted to give it up.

Somehow, though, he had a feeling that Juudai would find him a way back. He had the sinking feeling that that day might even be the next one. Slowly, he lifted himself from the bed and looked at Juudai for a moment before crawling into the bunk next to him. Juudai didn't seem to mind though. He only moved over and gave the other some room to fit on the bed with him. Haou would not have done this normally but he was actually feeling kind of down and wanted to spend some time with Juudai before he had to leave. And if this was the last time they could really be alone, he wanted to savor every bit of those precious few moments. So he swallowed his pride. Even if this were to fade into a distant memory someday, he felt as though it was worth it. Ever since Juudai's childhood he had, deep inside, wanted to be able to talk to him, to know more about him, to touch him. He had been so desperately lonely and Juudai was someone he could identify with because they were the same person. And yet…there was something so innately different…

He let his hand pass over Juudai's cheek, and ran it down to his chin. Juudai smiled at him and gladly shared the covers with him, which he accepted. They lay in silence for a long time, each to his own thoughts. It was comforting to exist like this, to lay there doing nothing and saying nothing but enjoying the company. He only wished he had longer to enjoy it.

But he had responsibilities. He couldn't allow himself to stoop to this level for long. And it did sadden him. He wanted desperately to be able to take Juudai with him. Since they had reconnected he had been more attached to him. Especially since he had thought Juudai had died. But he could not give in, he could not take him.

It hurt.

No, he mustn't think of it. He would think of it later. For the time being, he tried to direct his thoughts to what he would do once he did get back to Dark World. But it was difficult to distract himself when he had a need that ached so much. He had never given himself the privilege of being human. At least, not since he had lived previously. Things had changed drastically since then…He had to remind himself that he was not supposed to be there. Even if he felt a connection to Juudai, even if he felt a strange connection to that world, he could not stay there. He did not belong.

Funny thing was…In fact, he rather did belong there. He just did not know it yet.

* * *

**A/N: Wooo. Finally getting somewhere. 8D I hope you don't think it's too rushed. But ya I did have hints about it throughout the story so if you didn't pick up on it, you weren't reading all that into it. I didn't mean to make this chapter quite this long. DX But I couldn't stop rambling cuz I needed to find a good ending point. But hrhrhr. C: Next chapter will be kind of a reminiscing chapter for Haou-sama. MOAR flashbacks. 8D Some things involving Johan (Omg drama plz! But not the OOC kind D: ) and MOAR mirrorness! Yayz! Plus other things that began in this chapter. :D Oh, and I'm working on a selfshippy lemon oneshot. C: I hope to get it done soon but I'm having trouble developing it. XP**


	14. Chapter 14: Confession

**A/N: This chapter was rewritten like four times. T.T I'm still not sure I like it like this and so soon, but I'm going to just go with it. I apologize if I ruined it. DX**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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* * *

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Chapter 14: Confession

Haou had noticed that Johan seemed more bitter than he ever had. He did know what the problem was, but he did not very well care to fix it. Johan never did anything to display his displeasure with Haou—though a few glances were thrown in his direction, but these were seldom. And Juudai seemed to grow closer to Haou with each passing day, making things all the more tense between the two and Johan. Of course, the European was just as friendly as ever. Though it was with an underlying amount of discomfort which seemed to grow with each passing day.

Through it all, Haou continued to wonder how his strange connection with Juudai and his world could become any stronger. He already knew why he had a connection to Juudai. He just was not sure why he kept imagining that they had talked at some other time somewhere. Was that not impossible, improbable? And yet, he could not shake the feeling. Every time he thought he had things figured out, something else would surface from the depths of his mind to throw him off track.

And that was rather the case for the moment. Since he and Juudai had been closer, these 'memories' had been surfacing a lot more frequently. He was not sure how much was accurate—or whether or not they _were_ true for that matter.

At the moment, he was lying under a tree near the cliff that Juudai liked to sit by. He had his eyes closed tightly, as he was being bombarded with loose, fragmented memories. Some of them seemed ethereal. Others seemed as though they were happening at the moment. And some seemed to not be memories at all, but rather visions and trepidations of the future. He rolled over on his side and opened his eyes halfway, gazing at a dandelion that blew ever so gently in the caressing wind. He focused on it, trying to get his mind off the inner torment. But it would not go away…

* * *

_"You should not associate with him."_

_"But, Haou, he's my friend!" A young Juudai protested, swinging his legs with pent-up energy and excitement, "How can I not duel him?"_

_Haou felt a twinge of jealousy. He wanted Juudai's company to himself. Although he had never cared for it before, he did like Juudai and was worried about him. He wanted to keep him close, safe. He was rather possessive, actually, and he hated it whenever the brunet invited another child to come over and duel with him. Why, he was the only one who could be Juudai's trusted companion! And he was suspicious of everyone and everything that entered into the house._

_"I really don't think it's safe." Haou blinked, his icy tone cutting._

_"You worry too much. I'm sure that even if something bad happened, my cards would protect me. Especially Yubel!" Juudai held up the prized card, beaming and pressing it against his cheek. _

_"Yubel…"_

* * *

Haou's eyes snapped wide open, and he shot up to a sitting position, breathing heavily. He wiped some of the cold sweat from his forehead, and shivered. _Yubel…_How could he possibly have forgotten…? And more importantly, how was he able to remember? What had happened to her? An aching sensation settled deep within him, from the core. What…was this?

He stared down at his shaking hand. There seemed to be something awry…something beyond the naked eye that was triggering these subconscious memories.

Feeling a presence darker than his own looming beneath the surface, he shook himself of the memory. The hair on the back of his neck stood up slightly, pricking his skin, at the sensation of the darkness rising within him, gnawing at him, demanding exit. At this point, he was not so sure he wanted the memories anymore. Something deep inside was using them to weaken him. Besides, he was uneasy to think what _else_ had been done and lost to the sifting sands of time itself…So he had to focus his attention back to the present.

Quiet reigned but Haou could not find any peace or relaxation in the rare moment. Instead he was too busy wondering what had happened in the gap between the memory and the present. And why did he get the aching feeling deep inside, pulling at his throat? Why did he feel strangely…sentimental about the spot he was lying in presently? It made little sense and at first he wondered if it was another one of his delusions. Sighing heavily, he sat up and ran a hand through his messy hair. Well, if it was, then it would have to go away on its own, just like the others.

Presently, he became aware of a familiar presence drawing closer. He wanted to look up desperately but instead kept staring out over the horizon. It was as though his eyes were locked on that space far away, past space and time, intangible and gone forever. The person drew closer then sat down next to him, and he did not have to look to realize it was none other than Juudai. Well, it was about that time of day when they did sit there like that…it was a habit they had soon grown accustomed to. He should have been anticipating it, but he had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he had not noticed. He was rather glad that Juudai was there, though. Oddly, he felt a bit safer with the other half of his soul nearby.

Juudai was silent for a moment as he observed Haou, trying to read him. Finally, he gently bumped his fist to the king's shoulder, grinning wryly from ear to ear. "Hey."

Haou's glazed-over golden gaze shifted in his direction. He was not really sure how to address Juudai, for once, and it felt strange to have to think of something that should be so unconscious and mundane. He did not feel like being formal but…it was not in his nature to be casual. So he opted to just nod curtly in the brunet's direction. Juudai's presence was all he wanted, all he needed. Conversation…just did not come naturally to him.

Juudai hugged his knees to his chest, then dropped his head on Haou's shoulder and sighed heavily. "You all right? You seem kinda…off…" He spoke quietly, almost in a whisper.

It took a moment for Haou to comprehend the question. Finally, it registered, and he answered. "I'm fine. Just…" He cut himself off. There was no need to supply Juudai with anymore information. He didn't want to get into a discussion about it. For some reason, the memories caused a previously filled void inside him to ache coldly. He felt it grasp at him sharply.

Juudai shifted so he was snuggled closer against Haou's side. The warmth of the other's body spread slowly over him, seeping past the physical. He shuddered slightly in discomfort; he was unaccustomed to this. "You seem…lonely…"

It was true. Haou was lonely. He had been for years. He'd had to get used to it before. He had coped with it by hurting others, true. But even though he regretted nothing he had done, even though he would do it all over again, he did regret not having anyone by his side to call an ally, a friend. And he wanted desperately to convey his gratitude to Juudai for being that friend to him, for showing kindness. And yet he had neither the social skills nor the humility to let it surface. He let his head drop a little, staring down at the grass, feeling melancholy. He had let every person that had ever been close to him either die or slip through his fingers. Truth be told, he was worried that the same would be true of Juudai. He did not want to lose him. But he knew that if he let the Osiris student too close, then something would happen to him. It was all clear to him, especially at these memories. Somewhere along the way, he had lost the one closest to him. And somewhere along the way…he had lost Juudai before, too. He just couldn't put his finger on what time it was, or how. He just knew he didn't want it to happen again.

"Haou…"

The whisper of his title brought him back to the present. Yes, his title…that was all…He had long ago traded his name for a title; humanity for power.

"What's up?" Juudai tilted his head a bit to one side, so that his head was leaned back on Haou's shoulder, his dark brown eyes staring worriedly up. "Seriously, are you Ok?"

"I…don't know," Haou finally admitted, averting his gaze.

"Maybe I can help." Juudai offered him a friendly smile, which was not returned. It was never returned.

"You couldn't help me. No one can help me but me." It was the truth. He had chosen to be this way…and he was finding it more difficult than he had bargained to work his way through this mess. But there was not a thing Juudai could do for him.

He hunched over, his eyes narrowing as he rested his chin on his knees. He encircled his arms tightly around his legs, holding on with all his might. As much as he tried, he could not shake how horribly perturbed he felt. Something inside him felt as though it had snapped, shattered miserably. And the trigger had been those flashbacks…

Was he truly incapable of mending the mistakes of past days?

He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. It was coming in shuddering waves over him then. What was happening to him? Why was this deep piercing agony erupting from the depths of his soul? He did not understand it. It was so foreign to him. And yet…it was as though it had been there all along, numbed, dormant.

He felt sudden warmth brush against his hand, then wrap around his cold, elegant fingers firmly and securely. The gentle fingers slipped between his, lacing, entwining their hands. He found himself gripping back, his hand shaking. Such a display of weakness embarrassed him. But what could he do? Ignore it? No, it was far too potent for him to brush away like he always had.

"You don't have to do this alone," Juudai told him, resolution burning in his eyes, "Even if it's a problem only you can fix, it doesn't mean you can't have support. Come on. Talk to me. I want to help. I won't take no for an answer."

Haou turned his head to face him, his mouth turned sharply downwards, his eyes flashing. "I don't know what to say!" He finally snapped, gripping Juudai's hand with more pressure.

Juudai did not answer right away. He seemed to be thinking about how to respond. A sigh. "I can't tell you how to say it. Just…whatever comes to your mind…"

Haou opened his mouth to retort, to put him in his place, then closed it. What good would it do to linger in old habits? Sullen, he tried to force it out. "Things…I haven't thought of…in years have been plaguing me." He said it in a low, growling tone, as though to assure himself and Juudai of his strength.

"Like what?" Juudai pressed, leaning closer. "Come on. You're doing good."

"Things that I wish I could change," Haou grumbled. That was all Juudai was getting. If he wanted more information, he was going to have to work for it.

"You shouldn't focus on things you can't change," Juudai pointed out, "Just let it go…"

"I can't."

"You _can_."

"I can't because I don't want to." Haou finally admitted, frowning, "I…need to be angry…at something."

"Because…?" Juudai frowned a little himself, trying to understand the logic behind this.

"It's the only thing…" Haou stopped.

"It's the only thing you'll let yourself feel?" Juudai asked, looking a little sad, "That's not a good way to live. Why would you want to be unhappy all the time like that? Why can't you be happy?"

Haou set his jaw firmly. He had to stop and think about this one. Even though he had sacrificed his humanity slowly over time, he really was not sure what the answer was. He did not really know the true reason for it, just that it had to be done. Finally, he shook his head. "I don't know. I just don't know anything, anymore, Juudai. When I came to this world…my perspective was just turned upside-down. Especially once I really…"

"Really…what?" Juudai prodded, looking curious.

Sighing heavily, Haou shifted and looked around uneasily. "Once I really got to…know you…"

Juudai smiled. "You have seemed a lot less, er, angry."

Haou did not reply. He did not have anything more to say, really. It was too exhausting to think of ways to put what he was experiencing into words. Besides, just being with Juudai was enough to relieve some of the pain. It was probably because they were so close, despite it not seeming to be the case on the surface.

The king stared down at their hands lying in the cool grass, still clasped tightly together. When he looked at them, he got this peculiar sensation rising in his chest, and he felt his heart leap. Swallowing it back, he quickly turned his attention back towards the sky. Those things…were not to happen.

"Haou…"

He turned his attention back to his counterpart. "What?"

Juudai hesitated, looking as though he wanted to say something. "Well…do you think of me as a friend?"

Haou blinked. He found the question rather odd. "I…suppose…Why do you ask?"

"Because I just felt like I wasn't to you…I just felt like you wanted to be friends but you were pushing me away." Juudai fell silent again, dropping his head back on Haou's shoulder.

"Juudai…" Haou paused, staring down at the other boy momentarily. "It's just my nature. It doesn't mean I don't like you. If I didn't like you, you would know it. And if I wanted you to go away, you would know that too."

"Well, if you say so…" Though, Juudai sounded uncertain. However, he did not move. He kept leaning against Haou's side.

Despite his best efforts to suppress it, another pleasant shiver ran along the king's side against which Juudai lay. The brunet lifted his dark eyes to gaze up at Haou, having felt the involuntary movement. A ghost of a smile lingered on his lips, his eyes shining slightly. Haou was rather embarrassed and tried to look away, but Juudai's eyes would not let his wander. What was it about him that was so intriguing? So captivating? So…_fascinating_? He found that the longer he stared the harder it was to look away. And the harder it was to look away, the more he drowned in Juudai's eyes…

Juudai shifted slightly and sighed. "Haou…"

"Hm?" Haou continued to stare into those eyes, feeling strangely warm inside. He shivered again at the sensation of Juudai's gentle breaths on his neck.

"Do you know how to dance?" The brunet smirked slightly, tightening his clasp on Haou's hand.

The king arched an eyebrow, puzzled. "Well, of course…Why do you ask?"

Shrugging, Juudai casually replied, "I don't know. I guess…I just wanted to know how…Or maybe I just wanted to dance with you."

Despite himself, Haou felt his face heating up at the odd, and rather random, request. "Well," He licked his lips slightly, feeling anxious, "I'm not sure where that came from or why you'd want to know such a thing. But if you really would like to know…"

"Yeah, just…in case…I have to sometime," Juudai shrugged, "I mean…I have danced before just…Not slow dances. And I don't really know how."

"Why not?" Haou tilted his head a little to one side, a characteristic that he had picked up from Juudai.

"I don't know," the Osiris student glanced down at the grass and began to twirl a few blades between his fingers as he spoke. "I guess I just never had any interest in those things. But now I'm wondering what it's like…"

"It's so random…" Haou finally remarked, unsure of what else to say.

"Maybe to you it is, but I have my reasons for thinking the way I do." Juudai smiled warmly at him.

Haou felt his heart jump a little at this. _"What was that supposed to mean?"_ He wondered. But he didn't say anything. Instead, he stood, pulling the brunet up with him.

"So…are you going to teach me?" Juudai asked, his grin widening.

"Well…I…" Haou's face reddened despite himself, and he finally tore his gaze away, looking a little miffed. When he finished his sentence, his voice was a lot quieter than it had been. "…I suppose…But my style is a bit…outdated, you might say."

Outdated? That was an understatement, he thought. He knew that Juudai's world was far more advanced than his, and he only knew such things from his day and age. And those dances were reserved for social gatherings for etiquette reasons. Anything outside of that, he was not aware of. Because it was not necessary and he had better things to do with his time, like learning new war techniques. He had never been embarrassed about it before, but he was currently rethinking his training.

"That's Ok," Juudai told him, breaking him of his thoughts, "As long as I know how to do something. So what do you do first?"

"There are several different ones I know," Haou admitted, "And I don't really know if they would work for you. Some of them are really complicated so I think we should start with the simplest one."

He gently took Juudai's hand and bowed gracefully, as it was habit. Then, he pulled the brunet closer, loosely grasping his hand and placing his other hand on Juudai's lower back. Well, at least this one was a bit newer than some of the others he knew. Maybe Juudai wouldn't look so strange if he used this one.

Slowly, he began to move, gently guiding Juudai as he did so. At first, the other boy's movements were very clumsy; he almost tripped over Haou's feet several times. But gradually, with Haou's guidance, he began to get the hang of it, though he was anything but graceful. It took all his concentration just to keep up with him. He was a little bit embarrassed since it seemed so easy for Haou. His movements were fluid and natural. The dance, however, was far more complicated than Juudai had anticipated. It was more than a simple waltz. And this was because it was older and came from Haou's world.

"This feels really weird," Juudai remarked, grinning weakly, "But I kind of like it."

Haou did not reply to this; he only kept staring into Juudai's eyes, trying to give him visual cues for the parts of the dance that he didn't have any physical contact with him. Juudai could only mirror his movements, falling silent again. He was not very good at this, Haou thought. But he was enjoying himself despite the fact that Juudai was not very coordinated when it came to this. Perhaps it was just being able to share this moment with him.

"You're too good at this," Juudai finally pointed out, looking a little overwhelmed. He laughed good-naturedly. "I really don't think I'm cut out for this."

"You will get better at it with practice," Haou assured him, raising his hand and placing the palm flat against Juudai's as they went around again. "I had lessons starting when I was young and it wasn't easy for me then."

"Well, it's not an easy dance," Juudai said, laughing weakly. "Are you _sure_ this is the easiest one?"

Haou merely nodded, pulling Juudai close again. The brunet stared up at him, a light blush gracing his cheeks. Seeing this and feeling the other in his arms, so close to him, Haou felt his own face heat up slightly. He tried to suppress it, and failed miserably. He knew what was going on, and he really didn't like it.

"Um…" Juudai continued to stare up at him, having paused entirely. They just stood there, looking at each other. It really looked like Juudai had something he wanted to say but wasn't sure _how_. And Haou felt the anticipation rising. He had a feeling he knew what the other wanted to say. "Haou, I've known you for awhile now and…" He hesitated, leaning unconsciously closer, "well…to be honest, I just get this feeling that I—"

"Juudai, there you are!" Johan came seemingly out of nowhere, just at the wrong moment. His atrocious timing made Haou wonder if he had been watching. A glare was sent in his direction, but he chose to ignore it. Nervously playing with his hands and looking anxious, he asked, "Can we talk for a few minutes?"

"Well, uh…" The brunet looked uncertainly up at Haou, then slowly released him, grinning weakly. "Sure."

Haou frowned. He was a little peeved at Juudai for being so rude and dropping him like that. But there wasn't much he could do about it other than give the brunet a disapproving look. Not to mention he knew this was done entirely on purpose on Johan's behalf, by the way he kept looking so upset and apprehensive. He knew what was going on better than Juudai did, apparently. Irked, Haou stepped back.

"I'm sorry," Juudai apologized, turning back to face Haou, "We can finish this some other time, I guess."

Haou grumbled something under his breath that he hoped the Osiris wouldn't hear. And he supposed he didn't since he didn't receive any sort of negative reaction. Johan, on the other hand, caught it and frowned at him. Haou only returned the look ten times as harsh.

"Um…" Johan grabbed Juudai's hand and tugged on it slightly. "Can we please go somewhere sort of private? I don't want everyone hearing what I have to say to you."

Juudai only nodded, and said a quick goodbye to Haou. The king didn't say anything in response. Mostly because it was not goodbye to him. No, he would not let Johan come between them. It didn't matter what the teal-haired duelist's true intentions were. He was still going to spy. So, he waited for them to go a ways before following them silently. And they didn't notice his presence at all.

"Juudai…I don't mean to sound like I'm starting any drama," Johan began, sighing heavily, "I just really want to know why you chose him over me."

"Wh-what?!" Juudai started, his eyes widening in surprise. "I never said—"

"It's obvious," Johan pointed out dryly, looking dejected, "You really like him a lot. No…it might even be more. Or, at least, you're beginning to fall in love with him, aren't you?"

"No…" Juudai's face burned.

This lie earned him a scowl from Johan. But…he just kept going despite the other boy's unwillingness to be honest with him. "Don't you think that's a little strange? He could be your twin for all we know…"

"He looks different," Juudai argued, his face turning even pinker, "And he's _not_ my twin because I'm an only child."

The transfer student opened his mouth to argue, but Juudai shook his head. He hesitated, then sighed. "Well…if you're so sure of it…"

"I am," The brunet said quietly, "Please don't tell me you think I'd do something like that."

"Well, I…I…" It was Johan's turn to blush. "I don't know _what_ you'd do anymore, to be honest. Especially since you're not being honest with me."

"I am telling the truth when I say that Haou and I are just friends. It's just always going to be that way." Juudai insisted, frowning slightly in embarrassment.

Haou couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at this. He really tried not to but…he couldn't help it. Because he was beginning to wonder if he felt the same way. Maybe it was time to stop fighting it. After all, it sounded as though Juudai had been very close to a confession earlier.

"You're not just friends and you know it," Johan told him, almost even in a scolding tone, "Why can't you just tell me the truth? We're best friends, aren't we?"

"Yeah, but well…I don't want to hurt you!" As soon as he'd said it, he regretted it. It had just blurted out of his mouth. Quickly, he slapped his hands over his gaping mouth, ashamed. "I…I'm sorry. That came out wrong. I meant—"

"Don't." Johan put a finger to Juudai's lips, hushing him. "Just tell me the truth. Look me in the eyes and tell me the truth. I promise you I'm not going to get angry." His sea green eyes softened, and his smile grew more sorrowful.

"I…" A beat. Juudai gently pushed his hand away, staring at the ground as he thought. It was only a big deal because he didn't want to crush Johan any more than he had already. He felt responsible for his change in feelings and was blaming himself for the other's heartbreak. How could he do that again to his friend?

And yet…maybe it was best to be honest. Maybe it was time to come to terms with his own rapidly changing feelings. He was aware of them, after all. He knew what they were only because it was something that one just _knew_ unconsciously. Maybe it was time he had to tell him. Even if he didn't like it.

He sighed. "All right, all right." Briefly, he paused and crossed his arms over his chest, as though hugging himself to assure himself that it would be all right. "I…I guess I didn't really think about it that much before but…I…I am falling in love with him."

Even though Haou had known this deep down, it still caused his heart to leap and catch in his throat. He swallowed hard, feeling a little weak. It was always something to imagine what this moment might be like but…having it actually happen was a totally different story. He couldn't understand how he could feel so ecstatic and awkward at the same time. It was even almost a feeling of utmost dread.

Johan, as well, reacted with great surprise to the confession. His eyebrows raised and his eyes widened, his lips parted slightly though not a sound escaped them. True, he had known as well but…hearing it only confirmed his suspicions and made him feel even worse about himself, even though he tried very hard not to feel that way. Desperately, he tried to gather his wits about himself and regain his composure. It was difficult, though, when he was staring into his beloved Juudai's eyes as he confessed he had fallen in love with another. Possibly at the expense of loving Johan.

"I'm sorry," Juudai finally apologized, glancing down at the grass. He hated to see _that_ look on Johan's face. To stare into his eyes and watch his heart break from the inside…it nearly killed him. He had never wanted to hurt anyone. He had never wanted to feel this way. "I…I don't have to do anything about it. I won't do anything about it. I don't want to anyway."

Unable to help himself, Haou felt disappointed. Why would Juudai not want to? Why would he try to hold back? Was it simply because he feared hurting Johan? A pang tore through him momentarily, before he smothered it in his typical indifference. No. He did not care. If this was the way it was going to be, he could spare himself the agony by numbing the humanity that was returning, that he had allowed to grow within him. No longer would he nourish it. It had been nice while it had lasted, but it was time to revert. He did not want to be that type of person. He had sacrificed it all to become what he had been. And then he had given that up for what he did not want to be. He was not meant to be a sentimental person, nor a sympathetic one. It was time for him to push his feelings aside, and go on with his life. It wasn't like he was meant to reside in this world anyway. None of this was meant to occur.

There was a moment of awkward silence. Johan tilted his head to one side, narrowing his eyes slightly, though it was not in anger. Rather, he was studying Juudai, as though trying to understand. Finally, he shook his head. "Juudai," He breathed, his voice regaining that silky, effeminate quality as he reached up and gingerly stroked the brunet's cheek, "Don't hold yourself back because of me. Don't hold back because you're afraid of hurting me. Please. I want _you_ to be happy. It's more important than anything, even my happiness. I'll be just fine. Ok?" He dropped his hand on Juudai's shoulder, smiling reassuringly, though his eyes still overflowed with hurt.

"Ah…" Juudai's eyes darted around nervously. He was taken aback by this, and a little confused. He wasn't sure exactly how he should respond. But, he supposed that he had shown Johan he still cared, and he shouldn't keep something from himself just because he didn't want to hurt anyone. After all, if that were the norm, then nothing would ever be accomplished in the world. And so he reluctantly agreed. "Ok…" A weak smile was returned.

"Promise me you won't hurt yourself for my sake," Johan commanded, his voice laced with the highest concern as he clapped his other hand on Juudai's other shoulder, gripping them tightly and pulling him closer.

"I promise," Juudai's grin grew a little, and he relaxed.

"Good." Johan smiled warmly then released him. "In that case…Why don't you tell him how you feel?"

"Uhh…" Juudai scratched his head, looking a little lost. "I would but I'm not really sure how."

"Well, just go with it. Just say whatever your gut tells you." Johan advised. Then, pouting slightly, he chided, "You'd better do something about it before someone else gets to him first. Like what happened to me."

Juudai cringed. "You're right! But…can it wait 'til tomorrow? I'm not sure I have my speech all ready."

Sighing, Johan rolled his eyes. "You don't need to have pre-written a monologue. It's not supposed to be perfect like in the movies."  
"But he's so serious," Juudai insisted, "And I don't want to mess things up by not saying it right. I think I should practice at least."

Johan sent him a sideways look. "Have you ever rehearsed anything before? You don't even really study for your tests. So why should you worry about it now?" Shaking his head, he sighed. "Oh, Juudai, you never cared so much before."  
The Osiris student had the grace to blush. "Y-You're right. I guess I will tell him…tomorrow…"

"Tomorrow? Why don't you tell him now?" Johan raised an eyebrow, and gave Juudai a little push. "Go on! Get it over with! You'll only make it worse by waiting."

"But I don't want to tell him now—"

"_Tsk_, Juudai, you were about to tell him before I came along, weren't you?" Another pointed look.

"Well…uh…" The brunet's face burned. "Maybe. But I don't understand why you're trying to help me when before you were mad!"

"Does it matter?" The European asked, grinning weakly, "I was just upset and wanted answers. I…will admit I saw the whole thing and I was going to let it go on but…I just got too upset and needed to talk it over with you and make sure you knew what you were doing. But…Oh, forget why. Just go do it, please."

"But I—"

"No." Johan gave Juudai another shove.

The brunet dug his feet into the ground, trying to resist it but instead lost his balance momentarily. And crashed into whom else but Haou. Haou didn't say anything; he was too shocked. And he didn't very well care whether or not they knew he had been eavesdropping. Though, judging by the expression on Johan's face, he cared. Slowly, Juudai lifted his head to meet Haou's eyes, and a pink streak proclaimed his embarrassment.

"Oh, Haou! …How long have you been standing there?" Juudai's grin wavered.

At first, Haou did not respond. Then, he sighed and shook his head, opting to lie just because he wanted to hear Juudai say it directly to his face. "Not long."

Both Juudai and Johan looked relieved.

"Anyway," Johan coughed, "I think maybe now is a good time…" He nudged Juudai a little.

The brunet looked slightly dumfounded for a moment, then quickly pulled himself from his stupor. "Oh, uh…right…" He glanced over at Johan, silently telling him to leave, which Johan did without another word. It was obvious he didn't want to leave, and it was obvious that he wasn't all that happy with the situation, but he wanted to try to help Juudai even if it pained him. So he walked away… And Juudai…found himself speechless for several long, awkward moments.

Haou didn't make it any better. He kept staring with that piercing amber gaze of his, his eyes seemingly boring into Juudai's soul. The brunet laughed nervously, and shifted from one foot to the other, grinning like an idiot.

"Well?" Haou asked, growing impatient. He crossed his arms, frowning a bit. He certainly didn't know how to handle this at all.

"I wanted to tell you," Juudai began, uncharacteristically uncertain, "that...I really like you."

Was that it? Was that all he was getting? Well, maybe Juudai would surprise him… "Really."

"Yeah," Juudai ran a hand through his choppy brown hair, his grin widening, looking almost even embarrassed. "I mean…I _really_ like you. A lot." His brown eyes lifted to meet Haou's, hope shining in them. It was as though he expected an answer of some sort.

Quickly, Haou fumbled for an appropriate response. What could he say? In these cases, it was demanded that one either confirm or deny mutual attraction. But he really wasn't that good at these types of things. Part of him wanted to admit that he liked Juudai, as well, but another part of him was commanding him to keep it deep inside and crush it. Well…he had kind of tried that before with no results. It had only worsened. So what was he supposed to do? He felt a little trapped.

Even worse as far as pressure was concerned, Juudai kept staring him straight in the eyes. His smile was beginning to waver, and he looked like he felt more awkward than ever. Well it was no wonder he did. Haou had been standing there staring at him dumbly for about five minutes. Actually, it was more like he had been standing there staring at _Juudai_ as though _he_ were dumb for the past five minutes. He hadn't meant to but…He didn't really notice because he was getting so lost in the brunet's eyes again.

"If you feel stupid about this just say so," Juudai finally huffed, looking embarrassed and annoyed, "And we don't ever have to mention this again."

Another pause. More staring. Haou felt tongue-tied.

Juudai frowned a bit. "Ok, I see how it is. Sorry I said that. Just…forget it." He forced a smile, though his eyes were more than a little hurt. However, he was determined to move on.

This made Haou feel worse. It was aching to get out. But…could he force himself to do this much? How could he say something that he had kept a carefully guarded secret for who knew how long? Not only was it humiliating but he had told himself it was repulsive, sick, wrong.

He must've looked a little upset, though, because Juudai tilted his head to one side and regarded him curiously. Then, blinking innocently, he decided to make a move that would force Haou to confess either his mutual affection or his disgust. Before Haou could so much as think about what was happening, Juudai had placed his hands on either one of his shoulders and leaned up. Deep inside, Haou knew what was about to happen, but he had frozen up. He just couldn't bring himself to pull away. He told himself to but…all to no avail. Because he wanted this so very badly.

Juudai tilted his head a little more, though he still narrowly avoided crashing their noses together most uncomfortably. If Haou hadn't yielded and tilted his head as well, they would have. It was a near disaster avoided. All the same, it did not mean he was _quite_ receptive of it. At any rate, it wasn't stopped, and the next thing he knew, he felt Juudai's warmth breath on his face, followed by the gentle sensation of their lips brushing.

For a moment, that was all there was. Haou could have sworn he had even stopped breathing for the awkwardness of the moment. But, soon after he felt himself reciprocating the slight pressure, Juudai pulled away, his face red and his eyes wide. He wanted to look away but found that they couldn't stop staring at each other.

Feeling even more uncomfortable, and the impulsive need to get this off his chest so that he might tear their gazes apart, Haou began, "Juudai, I—" He stopped. Could he say it? He looked at Juudai for a long time, then shook his head. Maybe he didn't have to. He had accepted the kiss, after all, and Juudai didn't seem upset anymore.

A long pause. Nothing was said, and nothing was done, save for the staring. Juudai finally jammed his hands in his pockets and grinned cheekily. "Well…I guess I'll see ya."

Haou opened his mouth and managed a terse goodbye. He watched Juudai walk away, letting the wind whip his hair in his face. What…had just happened? He felt more confused and stuck than he had in a long time. What was he supposed to do? Had he done the wrong thing? Well, no matter what he did it was wrong. It just depended on the viewpoint.

Sighing raggedly, he stuffed his hands in his own pockets and headed in the opposite direction, towards the cold, lonely winds that whistled on endlessly. It didn't matter what he did then. He just needed a long walk to think things through. By the end of it, he should have come to a conclusion. But no matter what, one thing remained always and forever: he was a loner. There was no other way that he could be. There was no other way he knew how. And that might be what prevented him from achieving true satisfaction. Maybe that was what held him back.

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**A/N: Can you believe **_**that**_** took me two months to write? Bwahaha! Amirite? It's awful. XD I'm sorry it's so bad I just…ugh. Ugh ughgughhdgadu. Well uhhh, hm…sorry about that…moving things so randomly and fast…plz just forgive me already. XD I was stuck at what to do with this story. Oh but next chapter we get back to the action. Hopefully. Haha.**


	15. Chapter 15: Return To Dark World

**A/N: OMG YOU GUYZ!! I'm SOOOO freaking sorry I haven't updated in SO long! But see…I…I kinda got caught up in school and I TOTALLY lost my train of thought. T.T I thought by taking a break it would come back to me but I ended up having to re-read and even then Idk if I remember where I was going with this. I srsly had this great plan but it hath escaped me. DX –baws- ANYWAY I am going to try my best with the ideas I have re-scratched up to the surface…I hope that it will turn out HAOU I planned before but…maybe it will. XD **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 15: Return To Dark World

The dorm room was dark and silent. Juudai, Sho, and Kenzan lay in their bunks, fast asleep and snoring loudly. It was early in the morning and they all should have been asleep, seeing as how they had an exam that day, but one soul remained awake, even at that time. Haou was nocturnal by nature anyway, but the main reason he could not sleep was for a racing mind. There was so much going on and he was so confused about what to do. He had never felt that way before.

At the moment, he was sitting up on his cot, his knees pulled up to his chest, watching Juudai sleep. The brunet had one arm above his head and the other resting comfortably across his stomach, a small, content smile on his lips. The same lips that had brushed against Haou's only ten days before. And yet neither one of them had addressed the issue since. Haou had made himself too scarce, afraid of what was happening. He dropped his head into his hand, feeling a major headache coming on. When was he going to learn what he should do?

Shifting uncomfortably, he finally arose and paced around the room. His entire body felt weak, limp, sluggish. His mind was fogged up and the hallucinations had been plaguing him for days. He had not slept in a good three nights. And it was really beginning to wear him down. Not only was there the problem of Juudai but…he also had been too anxious about returning to his own world. After that incident, all he wanted to do was be alone, go back home, return to his old ways. As much as he cared about the Osiris student, he knew it would all avail to nothing. He knew it was not good for either of them. So he had to stop it…

He had thought that indulging in human emotion would have its benefits. But he was ready to back out. He knew it was just an impulse and he should ignore it but…he didn't know what else to do. Things were getting too awkward on his half. Juudai didn't seem bothered but that was an entirely different story. He wasn't experiencing the same horrific visions and flashbacks that Haou was. He wasn't the one having to deal with evil spirits coming after him, even if only in his dreams. And he wasn't the one who had sacrificed his humanity for power and immortality. There was no way he could ever understand.

And speaking of immortality…Why was it that he had ensured this trait and yet was feeling so…vulnerable? He hadn't really thought of it before but…it was becoming more evident. If he thought back, he could remember that ever since the strange events leading up to his departure from Dark World had taken place, he had been feeling more and more…mortal. He remembered how he had almost died, even, right before he came to Juudai's world. What was going on? Were the gods finally punishing him? Had they decided long before that his immortality would be revoked? Fresh fear of the unknown washed over him. Quickly, he choked it back. It was _not_ the time to go there.

Maybe he should forget about Juudai and just try to go back. Even though he knew it was a silly thing to do, especially at that very moment. It was an impulse he wanted to fight back but he just didn't feel like he could stick around any longer. So he cast a forlorn gaze at the brunet and allowed his hand to fall lightly upon the other's cheek in a gentle brush. His fingertips found their way across the other's face, caressing it carefully, until they grazed against soft lips. Slowly, he started to lean over, hardly even noticing he was doing it. Closer and closer...until he could feel Juudai's breath on his face…

Quickly, he pulled back, almost hitting his head on the top of the bunk in the process. Having startled himself, he pulled on his jacket and hurried out the door. There was no way he could let himself do that. It was too embarrassing; he had to remember his goal.

With that in mind, he disappeared into the darkness that lay before him, to find his way through the misty morning. He had to go back to the old dorm…he had to find that mirror again. He wanted to go home. He wanted to escape this feeling so much that he failed to even stop and think about his decision. And he failed to notice the pair of gleaming eyes that watched him from afar.

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It had been one thing to have logically planned what he was about to do. But it was another thing to be standing there, in front of the old mirror, with his hand pressed against the cool glass. He could see the heat from his skin beginning to leave an imprint, just like it would on a normal mirror. But this was not an ordinary mirror. He knew he was taking a huge risk but…He had to take the chance if he wanted to go back to his kingdom. After all, he wanted to figure out what was going on. And he was getting freaked out by the way things were going in Juudai's world. It didn't mean he wouldn't come back but…He just wanted to go home.

Taking a deep breath, he leaned forward into the mirror, shifting his weight against it and pressing both hands flat against the surface. He squeezed his eyes shut, anxiety bubbling slightly from within. What if this didn't work? What if he went to a different world instead? But he was going to do his best to try. He didn't want to sit around and wait for it to come to him. After all, the events that usually did come to him had been bad, and there was something after him. He could sense it, even then, lingering in the background. Part of him wanted to hunt it down, face it. And then again…some cowardly part of him wanted to just run away. It was shameful for him to admit to himself but he had to face the facts.

The dark presence seemed to be getting closer, to be closing around his throat. The survival instinct throbbed fresh through his veins. He thrashed in the smothering hold that the darkness had on him, almost losing the battle to unconsciousness. But he would not give in.

He felt the glass melting into a sort of liquid beneath his palms, and found himself sinking into the surface. Relief was the first reaction. Then he tensed up. He had to be prepared for whatever was on the other side, or whatever chose to follow him through. Feeling arms snaking around his neck, he kicked again, violently, and managed to wriggle free from the iron grasp. Seeing his chance, he wasted no time. Instead of waiting for the mirror to take him in, he took the initiative, and leapt into it.

For a few moments, he felt himself seemingly floating through the cold liquid. Silence and darkness surrounded him; the world was tranquil. He felt a strange sense of calm washing over him, and felt as though he could go to sleep like that. Exhaustion was taking its toll. Feeling lethargic, he allowed himself to drift on aimlessly, not caring at all where he ended up. All that mattered was that the feeling lasted forever…

It was then that he felt himself falling, as the substance around him thinned. Fighting back the urge to ignore it and go to sleep, he cracked open his eyes partially to see what was going on around him. His eyes widened as he saw that he was falling through a cloud, high above the darkened earth. A brief moment was suspended in time, and then he went spiraling downwards, swiftly falling. He clawed at the air, trying to find something to grasp. It was useless until he came by some trees, and managed to grab hold of one of the branches. It scraped his hands up terribly but that was better than dying. He clung to it for a moment, trying desperately to catch his breath and calm down. There had to be some way to get down from there, onto the ground.

After a moment's observation, he noticed that there were a couple of branches beneath him. If he was careful, maybe he could make it. Taking care to be easy, he swung the branch up and down, lower and lower each time until his feet finally made contact with the nearest branch. It took him a minute's preparation to get himself to let go, after which he had to quickly straddle the branch. This was done for quite some time until he finally dropped to the ground, and was quite relieved when he did so.

Brushing himself off, he glanced around him, surveying his surroundings. Everything was so dark…and yet…so familiar. Slowly, he wandered towards the clearing, stepping carefully over branches and larger pieces of wood to make as little noise as possible. He stopped at the edge of the trees and peered around them, concealing himself in the darker shadows. So far, there was not a living being in sight. Frowning, he slunk farther back into the forest. Something wasn't right about the situation. No human or animal life was present, and that made him highly uneasy. There was a certain tension in the air; there was no doubt about it, something _was_ present but he couldn't be sure what exactly it was. It felt…oddly familiar…He couldn't put his finger on it. But he felt as though this presence…he knew of it from someplace else. It wasn't malicious, exactly, but there was a certain character to it that made him just as wary. Even so, he reluctantly stepped forward, against his better judgment.

"Good day, Haou-sama." Came a clear voice.

Haou jumped slightly, and tensed, ready to strike back in case of an attack. "Who are you?" He barked coldly, squaring his shoulders and regaining his regal demeanor.

"What, you don't remember me? An old friend?" A figure arrayed in a dark cloak stepped out of the trees, his face concealed by the shadows.

"How could I remember you?" Haou queried, gazing down his nose at the newcomer and folding his arms behind his back, "You won't reveal your identity to me."

"I have done nothing to conceal my identity from you," The stranger continued, traces of a smirk evident in his voice, "After all, shouldn't you be able to recognize a person by their voice?" He paused but Haou did not answer, so he only continued. "Well, well, I'm surprised. But I suppose I shouldn't be. After all, you didn't pay as much attention to me as you should have. But I guess that can't be helped now. Perhaps you shall pay for it. At any rate, I did expect you to come back, but not this soon." He tilted his head to one side, curiously. "Did things not work out?"

"I do not know what you're talking about," Haou insisted, growing irritated, "Now if you would just explain then maybe—" He cut himself off. For the man's hood had fallen part of the way off, revealing piercing blue eyes.

"You finally remember me…"

Haou nodded slowly, dumbfounded. "You were the one who…" He trailed off, then clenched his fists. "How dare you show your face to me again after you caused me so much distress!" He stamped his foot, growing flustered.

The stranger, however, remained calm. He continued to smile pleasantly. "Relax. I didn't do anything to contribute to your distress. I don't even know what upset you so badly. I merely gave you an outlet and you _chose_ to use it."

"I…" Haou stopped himself before he could say anything to make himself look more foolish. He mulled over this for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose that is true…Still…"

"Would you rather have stayed here to die?" The man continued, still as calm as ever, "Would you rather have not found your counterpart, someone who can give you strength and possibly be someone who can help salvage what you have ruined?"

Bristling, Haou retorted, "I could do it just fine on my own! I don't know what you are talking about."

The stranger looked at him directly, with a steady, unwavering gaze. "You know very well what I'm talking about." He whispered, an all-knowing smirk playing on his lips. "And you'd better go back to him and mend things before you become your own downfall. He is the key to your survival at this point. There are things out there that you can't conquer alone."

"And what do you know of this person?" Haou challenged, circling around him angrily, "What do you know about my life? And why do you even care? You're just nosy, that's it. I don't know why else you would care about what I did with my life or if I died or not. Wouldn't you want me dead? You know just as well as I do that…"

"I have my reasons. I cannot reveal them to you, but I do," He replied, his smirk widening. "Don't worry. Just listen to me and return to the other world. And do it quickly." He perched himself on a large rock nearby, looking intrigued.

"And what if I choose not to?" Haou demanded to know, standing his ground. He was not going to do anything this man said unless he got some answers.

Shrugging, he replied, "Well, I suppose that's your loss then. I can't do anything about it. I can't touch you directly."

"What do you—" Haou stopped midsentence, realizing in shock that he was talking to nothing but a rock. The woods were still and eerily silent. There was not a soul in sight. He collapsed against a tree trunk, in a daze. Had it just been a vision? Was he going crazy?

He stood there for what felt like a long while, reeling. He was trying to understand what had just happened, and who exactly this strange man was. Apparently, he was some sort of a spirit. Otherwise, he couldn't have come and left so swiftly. Then again, he could be a magician of sorts, though Haou strongly doubted that. After all, there was no other living soul in sight. Except for that man. The only thing he could sense was excitement and tension in the air. It was thick and suffocating, seemingly driving the forcing wind all by itself. A large gust came from the north, nearly blowing him over. He had to secure his grip on the tree in order to keep from falling over. When he managed to shake his hair from his eyes and look up, he saw it.

His mouth went dry and his entire being went numb. Instantly, all feeling was lost in his body, and he felt almost as though he were a mere shell to harbor his corrupted spirit. And yet, he felt so insignificant and weak in comparison to the wickedness that resided in this creature. It looked an awful lot like the visions he'd had in his and Juudai's mind; it may have looked like the same wretched monster but the others were a far cry from the reality of this beast.

It towered above him, well over ten feet. The eyes were just as vacant and soulless as the others. Although, they were more animated. They were crimson, a color so pure they seemed to be dripping with the blood of countless murdered individuals. Ones he had put to an untimely death. His own blood chilled; his breaths came short as he stared up into the face of Death. He could not see pupils but he just _knew_ where those eyes were directed—right into his own. Involuntarily, his fists clenched and his nails dug into the sweaty palms. Already he was preparing himself for whatever battle might ensue. He shoved away the fear that gripped him, replacing it with resentment for this creature, hatred for this entity that thought it could best him. No one could best him. No one was going to take his life from him. And yet there it was, staring him down, challenging him.

No words were exchanged. The only communication was primal in nature, and occurred due to the keen senses of the other. A bead of sweat, labored breathing, narrowing of the eyes…it all signaled what was to come. It all signaled the altercation that was arising within, the fire that beat against the walls of the hapless bodies.

Haou knew that it had been this creature that had been plaguing him in his nightmares, sent after him to extinguish the flame of life that burned so vigorously within him. And that was enough incentive to muster up all the dark energy within him, in order to beat this animal at its own game. As soon as he released the first burst of energy, the creature countered it rather swiftly, giving him a sharp blow to the head. He fell to the ground with a dull thud, his head spinning. All the same, he attempted to get up, as he felt a different kind of darkness closing in on him, choking him.

His hands flew to his neck, clawing at the invisible bonds as that quaint beast stared him down, a deathly gleam in those carmine eyes. He thrashed and struggled, feeling a thousand tiny needle pricks in his skin. Soon, droplets of crimson arose to the torn surface, and fell to the defeated ground. He trembled in exertion; would it be too much for him to withstand? Even so, he would not give up. That was something he would never do. He continued to fight and struggle, doing everything in his power to stay alive. In addition to that, he foolishly attempted to strike back, hoping to catch it off guard. Then maybe he would be released. But it only agitated the demon all the more, and a clawed, scaly hand dealt a deft blow to his cheek.

A gasp broke through his thin lips, his golden eyes widening in surprise. The slap caused a strange, yet strong, wind to swirl about him, whipping his hair in his eyes so he could not see. Gritting his teeth, he strained at the bonds again, telling himself over and over that he was the manifestation of darkness itself; nothing could best him. Nothing could take control of him and treat him like a puppet. He had never allowed it to happen before and he most certainly was _not_ going to stand for it then.

Those amber eyes glowed with a new, rekindled fire as he lifted his head to meet the mocking gaze of his challenger. A tense moment passed as the thick, warm liquid trickled slowly down his searing flesh, finally dribbling off his chin and staining the dry, cracked earth. An odd sort of smirk curled the beast's dark lips upwards, its silver fangs finally exposed. He watched as it lifted its clawed hand again, and braced himself for the blow. It did not come.

Instead, he watched as it tightened its grip around some imaginary object, then jerked forward. He was mildly shaken, to say the least, when he felt his body being pulled carelessly towards it, the chains and wire straining against his wrists and neck. As he came closer into the darker aura, he was suddenly overwhelmed by sour nausea. Trembling harder, he fell to his knees, unable to control his violent shaking and the illness that overcame him. He suppressed a gag, feeling the bile rising and burning in his aching throat, feeling his eyes burn and sting from the acidic substance. Sniffing as his eyes watered, he lifted his gaze to meet that unearthly face yet again. Suddenly, his heart beat faster, more erratically, and he felt overtaken by the most pitiful and soul-wrenching despair he had ever experienced in his life. Hopelessness shrouded his mind in a black cloud; his hands would not hold still long enough to grasp at the chains he knew were there but could not see. A few strangled gasps wracked his body as he tried to breathe the heavier atmosphere. In his clouded state of mind, he could not discern exactly what was going on, but he could tell that it was infiltrating the depths of his mind.

His first thoughts were rather incoherent and emotional in nature. They did not consist of any words or concrete thoughts; rather, they were abstract and random. His first coherent thought should have been of his own well-being, but instead, he stunned himself with his concern of another's safety.

_He is going to get Juudai._

He did not know how he knew, exactly. Perhaps the brief moment in time that their souls were connected was enough for him to gain the intent of this action. Or maybe it was because of those horrid visions of the pleading brown eyes that raced through his mind, calling out to him so desperately. A feeling, foreign to him, swelled and surged within him, rousing hot-blooded anger and a certain, unmistakable strength from deep inside. All weakness and hopeless thoughts left his mind as he focused on his one, true goal.

_Juudai must survive_.

For once, he did not think. He did not even stop to consider the consequences of his actions, he just _acted_ on them. One moment, he was suspended limply in the other's callous grasp and then the next…There was the unanimous snapping of the hundreds of chains that had enslaved him. No noise could be heard for the split-second afterwards; time seemed to slow to a standstill. For a brief moment, their eyes locked, one set widened in surprise and wonder and the other narrowed and filled with the utmost fury and devotion. A large strike of sharp energy came clapping down upon the enemy, and it staggered back, stunned.

Haou's breaths then came again, ragged and heavy in the deathly still air. Without hesitation, he lunged again, delivering attack after attack. It did not matter if he was injured. He ignored the sharp pains that shot through his body, threatening to tear it apart. All that mattered was that he protected himself and Juudai. Especially Juudai. He did not know why at the moment, but the brunet meant so much more to him than he had originally believed.

This continued for a bit until the beast shook off its surprise and countered the blows. The two fought for endless hours, it seemed, until the surrounding area was almost completely destroyed and desolate. The already grayed earth was now splattered in blood and burning branches; the smoke rose to the dreary skies above. And though the atmosphere was moist and heavy enough for a storm, none arrived. The world was tired, void of any energy except from the two beings who stood facing each other, both injured and barely able to hold themselves up.

Haou felt as though he had cornered this creature, by then. He had used not only his dark powers but the powers that resided in his deck. The beast did not fight back with a visible deck, but he felt unseen forces draining him of energy and dealing great pain to him. He might not be able to see it but he could sense it. And he did not like where this was going. Already, he was running low on cards. But he would not give up.

The creature must have played a trap of some sort because he felt the chains encompass his limbs once again. He struggled with all the might he had sustained, and yet it was not nearly enough to free himself. A low groan escaped him, almost a breathy sigh of defeat, as he continued the futile fight for survival. Those red eyes flashed angrily, sending a subliminal signal that grasped his heart with fear again. His body froze, the muscles stiffening to the point he could move no longer. And that was when it came towards him, fangs glinting.

His eyes darted about him as mist seeped from the forest, gathering at his ankles. He felt an icy chill creeping up his spine as desperate beings clawed at his legs, climbing up them. Inwardly, he trembled. And yet he was too paralyzed by the unseen forces on the outside to shake at all. In fact, he could hardly breathe anymore. He felt like a soul trapped in a lifeless corpse. What would he do then? It almost felt like checkmate.

Even so, he attempted to use his mind to figure a solution, or find a way out of this. And yet he kept pulling up a blank. He could no longer think, breathe, exist. At least, that was how he felt. His mind shut down, leaving him with only the most innate of functions; all he could concentrate on was the icy sensation crawling over his body and chilling his blood, and the deafening pounding of his heart in his ears.

It was then that he realized that he had bitten off more than he could chew. Even with all his powers, this creature had gotten far more powerful since their last encounter. He had thought he could take it on himself but realized how foolish that had been. And that person, that stranger, had attempted to warn him. He had attempted to protect him from this imminent harm. And yet he had pushed him away, overcome with vanity and bitter resolution. Where had that gotten him? In this nice predicament he was currently trapped in. What was he to do, then? He _had_ to find some way out of this, some way to protect his personal being as well as that of his counterpart. Though, if it came down to it, it was beginning to look hopeless. It was beginning to look as if only one would survive, if that at all. And although he was a very selfish creature…

_Juudai…_

He mustered every ounce of energy, trying to fight back, but failing miserably. His mind screamed out that he _had_ to stop this beast. But all he could do helplessly stare as the dark shadow fell over his frozen figure. He felt the presence seeping into his very being, searching deeper and deeper through his mind. With all his might, he resisted, mentally fighting back. But he sensed its power was stronger than his, and had already taken hold of the fine thread of connection between him and Juudai. His golden eyes widened in horror as he realized; it was about to get to the other through him.

Gritting his teeth, he attempted to shove it out of his mind. He must fight with every ounce of energy he had left. He must not let it render him unconscious. And he knew if it got to Juudai through their connection or through their mind, then it would gain access to the deepest recesses of the other's soul. This was _not_ good.

Although he feared that it would be detrimental, when it came to Juudai, something positive always came out of the direst of situations. And this was no exception. Sometimes, Juudai defied fate. And sometimes, he defied the situation altogether.

Even as Haou felt himself being untimely ripped from the shell of his being, as he was sucked towards the dreary abyss of death, he could sense the other's power throbbing weakly, like a distant light in the dark. Instinctively, he reached out towards it, grasping it and holding tight to it, his one and only hope. Maybe if they could combine their energy…

He felt the creature trying to replace his soul with its own. Instead of pushing it out, he was, ultimately, being shoved out himself. He clung to the warmth of Juudai's soul. He felt as though the other was nearer than he had ever been. But how could this be? His mind was already too clouded over to comprehend what was going on. He just _knew_.

All the while this had been going on in his mind, he had lost complete awareness of what was going on physically around him. But he was swiftly reminded when something grabbed his shoulder, shaking him vigorously. A voice called out, seemingly eons away. He vaguely heard his title; it was weak and soft. And then it grew louder, though it was still barely audible. Or, more like, he could barely understand it. It was muffled.

Groggy, he cracked his eyes open. His vision was blurred; he could hardly discern shapes, much less faces. But there was something familiar about the figure in front of him. He felt a comforting presence encompass him, like warm arms securely holding him. And yet it was all in the mind.

Suddenly, a terrible, sharp pain ripped through his soul. His entire being was caught ablaze in the most severity he had ever encountered. His mouth opened part way, as though to cry out, but only a small wheeze escaped his burning lips. Surely it was the end. Surely it was too late for him to be saved then.

But then, something almost even miraculous in nature occurred. This presence that had just made itself known, added his strength to Haou's, thereby at least doubling his power. He felt the creature within writhing, twisting back and forth in fight. And yet it was no longer strong enough to hold off. There was a deafening cry, then silence. All dread and demonic darkness fled from his body, leaving behind nothing but taking away plenty. He fell to his knees, his head spinning.

He was dangling from the precipice, about to give into the heavy darkness weighing him down. But something would not allow him to let go entirely. He felt someone supporting his burden, helping him up both physically and mentally.

"Haou…are you Ok?"

He heard the voice calling from afar, and yet could feel the warm breath tickling his cheek. His eyelids felt so heavy, but he attempted to open them anyway, and was glad he did. Gradually, his vision came into focus, and he found his mirror image staring down at him.

"What…are you doing here?" Haou finally managed to ask, though he was still confused and disoriented.

"Well…" Juudai smiled wanly down at the other. "You woke me up earlier…" He paused to let this sink in, his cheeks flushing a bit pink. But he was not daunted in the least. In fact, he seemed encouraged. "And I saw you leaving and was worried so I followed you to see what you were up to. I had some trouble finding you but I'm glad I did." He propped Haou up and hugged him a little tighter, looking relieved. "I was kinda worried that you would've gotten hurt back there."

Haou blinked a few times, trying to clear his mind. He didn't like to admit it, but Juudai was right. He probably would've been hurt. If not worse. As it had been, he was pretty sure he had almost lost his life. Well, whatever would have happened, at least it hadn't.

As much as it was unlike him to be grateful, he could not help but feel a bit touched inside. A small, warm feeling rose within him, and he found himself unable to fight it off. "Thank you," He murmured in a low tone, his face burning in embarrassment. His eyes dropped to the ground.

"Hey, I'm not going to let my friends down," Juudai assured him, a small, warm smile spreading across his face. "Especially not you."

Haou glanced up at him in surprise. "Do you honestly mean that?" He eyed his counterpart skeptically.

"Of course I do!" Juudai replied, "I would never say something I didn't mean. Besides, I already told you why. I'm not going to say it again." He grinned teasingly.

"Oh…that." Haou's face burned again. He would not admit to himself what he was beginning to feel whenever that was brought up. It wasn't like he could very well hide it from his other half, though.

Juudai kept staring at him momentarily, his dark eyes sparkling. For once he looked serious as he studied the other's face. But then…his lips twitched slightly, and he smiled. "Don't worry. You don't have to say anything." There was a brief pause as he started to help Haou up, allowing him to lean on his shoulder. "Look, that can be something to talk about later. Right now, let's just try to get things in order here. This place means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

Haou sighed, his golden eyes dull and focused intently on the ground. He felt Juudai's questioning eyes on him, waiting for an answer. A final, curt nod was given.

"Ok. Well, then, let's work together to fix it." He smiled warmly and wrapped his arm more securely around Haou's waist. "I know you don't like help but will you let me in?" He captured Haou's eyes with his own, looking hopeful.

At any other point in history, Haou would've said no. Not just no, but hell no. But seeing how Juudai _was_ him and how genuine he was…Well, he couldn't very well defeat this creature by himself, only holding half of his potential. He tried to resist but knew he was being unreasonable and stubborn. One look back into Juudai's chocolate eyes, and his resolution crumbled.

"Fine," He grumbled, looking away quickly before Juudai could spot his blush. No matter what, he was _not _going to get that soft. He might be falling in love with his other half but that did _not_ mean he had any intentions of changing in the long run.

"Ok, then it's settled," Juudai proclaimed cheerily, "We're going to take care of this problem together. Let's try to find out if there's anyone or anything else here. That might give us a clue as to where to start."

Haou nodded in agreement. "Sounds like you've got the right idea. I think, however, that we should try to find my castle first."

The brunet glanced over at him, confused. "Castle? Your castle? Oh…cool! But…why there?"

"Because," Haou explained, "I think that if we go back to the place where this whole mess started, we might have the key to fixing it."

"Good idea. Let's go then!" Juudai smiled and seemed excited about the idea. Haou was just relieved that they were on the same page.

With that being decided, they started the trek through the forest again, in search of Haou's castle. He had a vague idea where he was, though, it was hard to discern since that world had become so corrupted and destroyed. It was in an even worse shape than he had left it. At any rate, he was not pleased. No one should have the right to do this except for him. Well, they would get down to the bottom of this. They just had to return to his castle, or whatever remained of it, and find that first fragment of mirror he'd come across along with the one the stranger had given him. If he was correct in his assumptions, based on what that person had said, then that mirror along with Juudai's help was the key to his salvation. The only thing he had to worry about by this point was whether or not they would make it in time. For all he knew, it could be too late. Perhaps they had taken care of one spirit, but it was clear to him then that those creatures were probably the least of their worries. Obviously, there was an even higher spirit controlling them, using them for pawns. And he aimed to figure out just who that was. Whoever it was, it was going to pay for messing with him. That was the one thing he could be certain of.

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**A/N: Suckyyyyyy. I'm sorry. :( I'm trying!! D: I've been horrid with writing lately and it sucks cuz it's my forte and I can hardly do it anymore. T.T I'm sorry! You probably don't care about this story anymore. I don't blame you. You're bored. I'm bored. Ugh. D: Summer is about to end in two weeks. D8 I shall TRY to update again between now and then. Anyway, next time Juudai and Haou will get to the castle and an epic battle will ensue. C: And hopefully by the end, Haou-sama will finally accept his feelings. But who knows? XD I don't lol.**


	16. Chapter 16: Confrontations

**A/N: Wow, I bet you never expected this, huh? Truthfully, I didn't either. It's been a long time. I feel terrible in some ways because I know this story needs a lot of work, but I'm not sure I have the energy for it anyway. Too much has changed. So has my writing. However, I found this on my flash drive and decided to finish this chapter. I was depressed, and it was comforting, in a sense, to return to the past. Anyway, if anyone who used to read this is still reading it – which would surprise me greatly – I truly apologize. I got depressed and just stopped writing for a long time. When I picked it up again, I'd moved on to another fandom. But that fandom is fairly dead right now, so I thought I might as well revisit this. When shall the next update be? I have no godly clue. I'd have to re-read the whole story and, quite frankly, that's a feat I don't see how you guys even managed _the first time._ Anyway, this chapter is about three years old, except for the end, which I did now. Tried to fix it up as best I could because I'll be fucked if I rewrite it. I'm so sorry it's not done as well as I can write now, but at least I've learned how to edit out some unnecessary lines.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX and I don't make any money.**

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Chapter 16: Confrontations

It was one thing to talk about returning to the castle where Haou had spent countless years in solemn isolation. And yet it was an entirely different story to see the dark, massive silhouette of the fortress looming high over the land, façade deteriorated and crumbling. It was at that moment that Haou realized just how many years had passed by and just how much he'd let things go. Funny, he mused to himself, that it had taken weeks outside his world and an outsider's point of view for him to realize just how depressed and miserable he had been, reclusive and trapped within those cold stone walls. Seeing his prison again caused his stomach to churn uncomfortably. Part of him felt an overwhelming sense of dread at the sight, and yet another part of him was overcome with relief. It felt safe, in a sense, to come home. However, he shouldn't be fooled.

Time seemed to have slowed down to a near standstill as they approached, treading upon dusty, dead ground. It was as though time itself had fallen into a deep coma, a slumber that it would never awaken from. The air was thick, musty, pungent with the scent of death.

The two stopped before the crumbling wall of the castle, staring upwards as tower upon tower rose high above their heads. It seemed so much darker in person—even more so than he'd remembered. All that time in Juudai's bright, lively world had caused him to forget the eerie comforts of darkness, though this could hardly be called comfortable at all. Smothering was more like it. He heard Juudai swallow and glanced over to watch as he frowned up at the castle, fists clenching and unclenching. The many souls that had lost their lives while combating against what they considered "evil" cried out to him through the dried, cracked earth. Shuddering, he stepped closer to Juudai.

Slowly, Juudai stepped towards the bridge that connected the grandiose castle to dry ground. Haou stiffened, fearing that it might be unstable. Juudai, on the other hand, didn't seem to care. He tested his weight on a plank before finally crossing fully onto it. Seeing that it didn't give way, Haou relaxed, and followed suit.

Carefully, the two navigated the bridge, practically tip-toeing so as not to plunge through to their death into the bubbling hot lava below. Haou stepped over a hole and peeked through. The first waves of dizziness surprised him, and he grew a little unsteady. Thankfully, he managed to catch himself before he fell, and forced his eyes to glance away from the liquid death below him. Something had to be messing with his head; he never allowed himself to fall prey to such feelings.

It was not too horribly long before they were safely on the other side, and two simultaneous sighs of relief were breathed. He hadn't realized how tense Juudai had been until that moment. Upon further inspection, he could not help but notice Juudai's hand was trembling ever so slightly. Looking to offer encouragement and strength, he reached out and grasped the hand firmly, although he, as well, was just as shaken. Dark brown eyes gazed up at him in silent gratitude, and the two plunged into the shadows of the foyer together, gripping each others' hands tightly so as not to be separated or torn apart by a surprise attack.

As soon as they had crossed over the dusty threshold, the stark cold of the interior hit them like a brick wall, seeping deeply into their clothes, penetrating to the bone. What had become of this place that he had so cherished? How _dare_ some foreign entity take over, displacing the very atmosphere he'd worked so long and hard to build. No longer was he the person or being that was the most feared in the land. Instead, he was the one fearing.

Juudai gave his hand a little tug, pulling him quickly from his trance. They moved slowly down the long corridor, towards the dining hall and back rooms. As they walked, Haou peered in each room they passed, finding them strangely dusty and littered with cobwebs, as though no one had occupied them for years and years. It was strange to him to find his castle in such a state; after all, he had lived in it not that very long ago. Unless…the time that had elapsed here was somehow longer than what he had spent in Juudai's world. It was either that or he had no idea just how long he'd spent alone in his private quarters. Or perhaps he was already dead.

As much care as they took in being silent, their footsteps still resounded uncomfortably loud in the empty hall, echoing into the distance until it was unbearable. He was sure he was going to go insane. There was some sort of external pressure, small at first but undeniably there, and he felt almost as though his vision were blurring, swirling around. Even though he wanted to sit down, he pressed on, the tight ball in his stomach growing heavier and heavier, as though he had swallowed lead. _Something_ was creeping into his mind, hoping to go unnoticed. And the farther they ventured into the dark depths of the palace, the worse the darkness that shrouded his mind became.

This was not the pleasant kind of darkness. This was not the type of darkness that manifested itself in his very form. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before, and he couldn't help but wonder what sort of demon possessed this power. Nor could he help but wonder if the stranger had anything to do with this. He had seemed to want to warn him of the dangers. He had given him a means of escape. But in doing so, he had also given the monsters a portal to enter.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Juudai attempted to pull Haou past them, to go farther down the hallway. But Haou dug his feet into the cobbled floor, bringing him to an abrupt halt. He gazed up the stairway, his eyes scanning the darkness above for danger. There was something up there, around the bedrooms. Gesturing for Juudai to follow him and to be quiet, he started the ascent, carefully placing a foot on the step, one at a time, taking care to be silent. It felt like if any noise were to erupt, then it would shatter the very fabric of time – or even the atmosphere itself. The air grew thicker the farther up they went, but fear tactics wouldn't stop them. The very thought of someone trying to better him brought anger boiling up from deep within. It was hot and potent enough to displace anything else. An extra amount of drive carried his willpower on, giving him the strength to do what even Juudai hesitated over. He gave an extra-hard tug on his hand, a sharp, golden glare following. Seeing those eyes flashing, the look directed at him, Juudai did as he was silently commanded. A stern look crossed over his features as well—quite unsuited for him, Haou thought. Satisfied with this, Haou led him up to the landing.

Haou waved his free hand in front of his face, brushing away cobwebs. He heard Juudai's breathing grow shallower, and he glanced over his shoulder to check on him. Juudai managed a weak smile, though his face was pale and ashen; he looked exhausted all of the sudden. Not only was the air heavier up here, but the presence of whatever entity resided within the recesses of his castle was pressing down on them.

The muddled sound of a creature stirring in a suite nearby brought the two to an abrupt halt. The decision was agreed upon internally, cutting out the need for clumsy words to be hastily arranged and plans half-explained. All it took was one quick exchange of facial expression and a momentary locking of gazes before they made their next move. This was it. This was the moment that he felt had been building itself slowly from the very beginning.

With every step they took towards the room, the tension increased tenfold. He felt his blood pumping loudly in his ears, drowning out any other sound that could have been heard. His grip around Juudai's hand tightened, his teeth gritted together to the point of being painful. Determination and dread mixed together thickly.

Being sharply snapped from his mind by another muffled noise, he noticed how close they'd come to the heavy, ornately carved door that served as a barrier between their two frail physical beings and whatever evil lay within the chamber. His dry mouth attempted to work up enough saliva to swallow, his scowl deepening as Juudai reached out slowly to press against the rough grain of the wood. He frowned deeply at the sight of Juudai, his undoubtedly weaker half, easing the cumbersome door ajar. Lips parted to admonish him, but nimble fingers fell upon them to silence his words before they even had a chance to fall from his tongue. Juudai's darkened eyes told him not to speak.

Since the door was cracked a bit, he could more clearly hear the soft scratches that came from within. He gingerly pushed his body between Juudai's and the door. Licking his lips to wet them, he carefully nudged the door open with his foot, his fists tightly clenched and his body tensed.

The only sound that could be heard was the dull thud of the door bumping against the stone wall. The room—his quarters—was revealed to him in a state of disarray. Garments lay scattered about, torn in shreds and draped over the massive furniture. His bedclothes were mussed and twisted about, as though whatever had previously occupied them had writhed in agony. The large, glass doors separating the room from the balcony were flung open carelessly, the lifeless, musty breeze toying half-heartedly with ripped drapes. Papers that had lain upon his desk untouched and waiting to be signed and stamped with his seal had been blown all around the room.

And then, in the right corner, opposite the door, his eye caught the familiar glint of a light which had no explainable source, reflecting off the liquid silver surface of his mirror. He began to set foot over the threshold, only to stop again, his breath catching in a harsh gasp deep in his throat. He felt his hands began to tremble and his resolve beginning to disappear just from the new sign which he beheld.

That dark figure had not been there before.

He stared for a good few seconds. Although it was only a few seconds, he could have sworn that those seconds turned into hours. The figure never moved from its spot in front of the mirror, its long, elegant arms folded neatly behind its back. The head was lowered so the facial features could not be discerned, the identity concealed. It was arrayed in a cloak that was the darkest black of night, which swayed softly in the wind. The bony, grayed hands trembled in anxiety as they gripped each other, long, sharp nails digging painfully into the skin.

A sense of awe crossed Juudai's features; a flash of bitter rage overtook Haou. How _dare_ anyone treat his castle as his own. Perhaps his anger had led him to be a bit more careless than he had originally planned. Juudai glanced at him, recognition clouding his eyes, and he reached out a hand to restrain him. He was one second too late, and Haou marched forward to seize this person.

This was treason of the highest degree. Haou lunged to grab the sword that lay propped against the wall, only to be met at the hilt by a thin, yet surprisingly strong, hand gripping his. The person lifted his shaggy head finally, sharp teeth slowly revealed from betwixt smirking lips. Haou's golden eyes widened as equally fierce amber eyes met his own. The nails dug painfully into his once healthy flesh, ripping and tearing bloody trails into it and leaving jagged skin in their wake.

He stared at the apparition before him in sheer horror at this turn of events. Grayed skin, fiery, sunken in eyes, tall, bony frame…He couldn't be sure if it was _mocking_ him or if—

"Are you surprised?" A low, growling voice asked. Although it was quiet, he could still pick out something almost _maniacal_ about it. And something far too familiar for comfort.

He opened his mouth to reply only to find he could not. Unable to contain himself, he shot a desperate look over at Juudai, who stood dumbfounded in the door. Quickly, Juudai shook himself into action and hurried over. His dark eyes moved hesitantly up to meet this being's gaze as he tried to assert himself. The look was returned sternly, and with one brief flick of the wrist, Haou found himself pinned against the wall.

"I think I will delight myself in slowly killing you," the person murmured in suppressed amusement, licking his lips in anticipation, "I've waited for this for so long…"

"Wait!" Juudai snapped, stepping forward to intervene, "What's going on here? You can't just do that!" His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, a look that Haou had hardly witnessed him bear before.

Haou's captor did not seem surprised. His eyes half-lidded in partial annoyance. "I don't think I need to tell you anything. All you need to know is that you shouldn't hurt others…" He paused before he could finish the thought, instead opting to produce a long knife.

"What do you—?" Juudai stepped forward again. Except he got no farther than two steps before a harsh wind came from the figure and slammed him against the wall. He struggled against it all to no avail. "What do you mean?" he yelled, squirming as much as he was able, "Explain yourself!"

The man let out a small, dry laugh, his dull, pale golden eyes never leaving Juudai's, his hand tightly clenched around the knife. Slowly, he brought it higher and higher, until the cool metal brushed his lips. His long tongue snaked out and slid along the blade, and yet he did not wince. A small droplet of crimson fell from his mouth, soon followed by a trickle. The fluid dribbled onto the back of Haou's neck, sliding slowly down his spine. Haou flinched at the contact. It was surprisingly…cold.

"Imbecile…" it hissed, its eyes narrowing and its hand shaking in exertion. "You don't understand, do you?" When Juudai shook his head, he gestured towards Haou and paused a long moment, his grin widening.

"Huh?" Juudai's brow furrowed.

"This," he murmured, gently stroking Haou's hair. "Is me."

There elapsed a few moments of tense silence. And then he continued. "I suppose I can't possibly expect you to comprehend this situation." He gazed down at Haou through lazily half-lidded eyes, the smirk dropping from his features. "He corrupted himself for so long, I was born inside him. I guess you can say I'm not exactly…what you would call _natural_." A brief pause. Another manic smirk, and those golden eyes glowed with an unearthly light, the voice growing stronger and resonating with the sound of a thousand winds. "I am the indifference and the inhumanity he is and always will be. He can never rid of me. Even if he tries to change, he will go to his final grave, to purgatory, without ever knowing any other way."

Juudai mulled over this rather large chunk of information before speaking again. Haou watched him from across the room, the entity's energy beating the insides of his earthly being with such might that he thought he would break. So he had finally pushed it too far, it seemed. This must be what happened to anyone who behaved in such an inhumane manner as he had. He shifted, which resulted in being pressed sharply against the stones in rebuke.

"So…I get it." Juudai finally said, heaving a great sigh, "You're…a demon or something. You've attached to Haou and taken a part of him, right?"

A low growl erupted from the spirit, a look of resentment shot in Juudai's direction. "Catch on quickly, don't you? But having that information is not going to save him. It's too late for that." He pondered this for a moment in silent mirth.

"You are _not_ Haou!" Juudai shouted, straining against the increasing pressure of the air around his body. "Because…because…if you were Haou then…you'd be me too! And you're _not_."

"You poor thing," it spat, condescending. "So far in denial you can't even discern who you are anymore. Well, let me tell you something I don't expect a _child_ to understand—when one makes an agreement with a demon, whether consciously or not, then we become that person. And, therefore, anyone who is connected to that person is affected as well. Do you understand?"

Juudai's mouth opened and closed. He finally chose to keep it shut and turned his attention back to Haou, who was still pinned against the wall. Something had to be done before either of them got hurt. Although he was struggling with all his might, he couldn't seem to overpower this entity. It was becoming clear that if they wanted free of this situation, they would have to combine their power.

Their eyes met and another plan fell together wordlessly. New determination sparked in them. Juudai closed his eyes, a look of concentration on his brow. His whole body was shaking from the strain. And Haou could feel something tapping into his spirit, like a vacuum ready to suck him dry. At first, he resisted it – until he realized what it was. It wasn't the entity that claimed to be them. It was Juudai's strength, calling to him, conjuring him.

There was a stark flash of light that passed before his eyes. It tunneled and then faded, purple and black dots dancing before his closed eyelids. When he opened his eyes again, he found he was looking at himself, slumped over against the wall as though dead. This creature obviously wasn't him after all; he seemed confused. And Haou and Juudai both took advantage of that confusion, using it to overpower the invisible thing tacking their shared body to the wall.

A burst of dark energy came from him, pushing it back, sending the entity sliding. There was a grunt as he hit the castle wall, a spat of _'how dare you_._'_ It didn't matter. Juudai was on his feet again, his teeth clenched and his eyes glowing yellow-orange. He flipped his deck holder open, reaching inside and whipping out a card. He didn't need to say anything for the spirit to understand, for his eyes to widen.

"Neos, come out!"

The hero materialized in front of them, muscular arms crossed over his chest. His outline glowed more brightly than usual, and he lunged forth towards the spirit. A cackling howl split through the air, and Neos shoved back. Juudai watched on, fists clenched and sweat trickling down his brow; Neos and the spirit were struggling against each other, their hands locked together. Every so often, Neos would gain ground, managing to push the entity back. But it wasn't going to be enough.

"Damn," Juudai seethed through his teeth, fists clenched tighter and trembling. Haou's energy stirred within, pulsing stronger, urging him to use it. So he reached out a hand, letting another burst of dark energy surge through the air, push at the entity.

The strain lasted for several terrible minutes; one of them had to give first. It was getting hard to push back, to give Neos the strength he needed. They were bonded together, and Haou was bonded with them, and when he felt their spirits fall together in harmony, relax, a surge of energy so powerful it knocked him back escaped, filling the room with a dark aura. During the blinding dark flash that followed, there was no sound, no air, as though they'd been sucked into a vacuum of time and space. Juudai grunted as he was thrown against the wall, even Haou could feel it, but he couldn't hear it and he couldn't feel air sucked in as Juudai tried to gasp.

For a split second, the world went black, and then there was nothing.

When Haou woke up again, he was still in Juudai's mind, somewhere near the forefront of it. Juudai's consciousness had been pushed to the back, into that dark place with all the mirrors. Haou wasn't there, but he could see it through Juudai's eyes, much like a secondary shadow placed over a picture as an overlay. He felt a splitting headache coming on and he sat up, rubbing his head. When he brought his hand away, he found it covered with sticky crimson – blood. He must've hit it pretty hard when he'd been thrown back.

Blinking hard, he picked himself off the floor, surveying the damage. The doors to the balcony had been blown clean off, and the stones around the doorway were crumbled, warped. In the corner, the mirror was swaying on its hinge, a dark shadow rippling over the surface – the surface which was crushed, the hairline cracks emanating from the center like something round had impacted it. A wave of disgruntlement passed through him; Juudai might not be able to go back to his world. But, then again, did he have to? Haou didn't have to return him. They'd combined their powers. They were one. Always had been, always would be.

Something scraped against the toe of his boot, and when he looked down, he saw it was a card. Bending down, he picked it up – Neos. Somehow, he looked less vibrant than before, but maybe that was just him. Without a second thought, he put it back in Juudai's deck holder, keeping his hand over it for just a moment, the warmth and energy of Juudai's monsters radiating into the palm of his hand. He gazed around the room, at the shell of his supposed body which didn't look much like him anymore, at the knocked over furniture, at the cracked mirror. Then he huffed and turned around to leave. There was work to be done. He doubted victory was that simple; it never was.

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**A/N: Shorter than my old chapters, but I've learned shorter is easier to manage. Ugh, it makes me so nervous to update this again. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, though I honestly...have forgotten my original plan. I'll figure something out. So...I will finish this story one day. I hope. Please let me know what you thought! In the meantime, if you want more selfshipping, check out my friend's blog on Tumblr: fuckyeahselfshipping-dot-tumblr-dot-com. Doujins updates daily. I swear she has every selfshipping picture known to man, haha.**


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